Design in her blood

She comes from an illustrious jewellery background. Janhavi's grandfather was the legendary Nanubhai Jhaveri, Jeweller to most of the royal families in India. He was the founder and creator of the erstwhile firm of Nanubhai Jewellers, and employer and mentor of Ambaji Shinde a very famous name today in jewellery design, who, thanks to his late employer was sent to Harry Winston where he became head designer.

Despite having never met her grandfather, Janhavi was drawn to gems and jewellery, because it is in 'the blood' as they say, further encouraged by her grandmother, who would empty the contents of her safe for Janhavi and her sister to play dress up, during their childhood.

After studying photography, Janhavi went on to study gemology and jewellery design at the Gemological Institute of America in London. She returned to Mumbai as a qualified Gemologist, Accredited Jewellery Professional and Designer, and started her own brand Wanderlustin November 2012.

Design philosophy
"I always wanted to design jewellery which was in between high-end and costume. I didn't want to use diamonds and gold and I didn't want my jewellery to be junk either. So I tried and struck a balance between the two and came with the concept of travel jewellery. That's why the name of the brand - Wanderlust. It's travel jewellery which looks opulent at the same time. I have used brass and silver with semi-precious stones," she shares.

Inspiration
"It just depends on what I feel like wearing on that particular day. My new line comprises of cuffs and I see they are huge right now. The last collection was inspired by Prada's Fall 2011 collection where they showcased floral earrings.

Currently I'm doing everything in brass. I also love green and purple amethyst and white topaz, which I feel is a rich looking stone and is undervalued," she says.

Design icons
"I love designs of Manish Arora for Amrapali and his play with enamel. I also like Viren Bhagat, who does these one-of-a-kind pieces and Pradeep Kothari for his magnificent works. However, my grandfather and Shinde inspire me. I love Art Deco jewellery," she gushes.

Personal style
"It varies from being Bohemian to Preppy. Everyday my look is mostly a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a pair of converses because I like to be comfortable. Otherwise I stick to classic aesthetic and don't follow trends."

Future Plans
"I'm contemplating showcasing at LFW next year and also plan to open my stores and looking at supplying at other stores. However, right now I'm focusing on strengthening my base."

Work life balance
"I work for myself and my schedule varies depending on my priority so it's easy to maintain a work life balance for me."