Meet The Ashiana London Founder

Tell us a little about life before Ashiana

I was born in Bangkok to a Dutch father and Indian mother. We moved to a new country every four years, making my childhood very exciting, varied and unique.  I have lived in Thailand, Jamaica, USA, India, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Brazil and the UK. I remember my parents always taking us to markets looking for treasures, trinkets and jewellery. In India my mum put all those together to create fabulous collections with a local jeweller. I think that somehow got ingrained in my subconscious as I did not study anything creative - I was focused on law and economics. The creative, was however, always bubbling in the background. Then, after a while in the corporate world, I really felt a strong calling towards getting back to being more creative so I took the leap on my 30th birthday and left my job to create Ashiana.

What was the spark that ignited the idea for Ashiana?

The big spark moment was whilst I was working in the corporate world and I realised whilst shopping for myself and friends that it really lacked semi precious, handmade yet affordable jewellery.  There was a lack of colour and texture. So I created my first collection with that in mind and all of the collection was bought by Jigsaw.

Which semi-precious stones are you drawn to?

I am very drawn in jewellery to blues and greens. In particular I love the texture of malachite, the colour of chrysophrase - it’s just so vibrant.  For blues, I adore shades of aquamarine blue - so I love using aqua chalcedony in my creations. 

What’s your earliest jewellery memory?

I have two! My first jewellery memory goes back to when we lived in India. I was ten years old and my mother has this necklace cuff that I adored. I remember sneaking into her jewellery box and wearing that chunky necklace to school with my PE kit! I got into serious trouble for that but it’s something I will never forget.  Made me feel really special…..except for the trouble I got into after! My second was being obsessed at a similar age with Wonder Woman’s jewellery. It felt so magical and powerful.  

What would you say was the Ashiana signature? 

It’s the beaten texture with a pop of colour.  We really focus on working with artisans and preserving handmade practices which is why I will always prefer a beaten or hand textured finish in our pieces. It gives the artisan a chance to express and the wearer something truly unique.

Why is it important to you that Ashiana pieces are affordable? 

I think accessories enhance any outfit and we ensure that our artisans are fairly paid but we also design our pieces in such a way to ensure they are accessible to buy. Everyone should  have access to pieces that just give your outfit a boost and are good quality.  

Where do you go in search of inspiration?

Markets, markets and markets.  I love a vintage market, flea market - basically any kind of stall market.  You can find textures and patterns in old vases, pots, anything with texture really. I adore rummaging through to find inspiration.  A  vintage carpet was the inspiration for one of our best-selling beach bags! I find old coins or charms and to recreate them and give them a new lease of life is so rewarding!

Which ‘jewellery rules’ do you think need to be broken? 

There are two I think we need to break.  Firstly - “ Less is more”  - said no one who loves jewellery.  I definitely would take an Iris Apfel approach of more is more.  The second rule that needs breaking is “not mixing gold and silver”.  Mixing metals looks great - and if you mix then it suits every single skin type.

What are your passions besides jewellery? 

I adore travelling and being on the beach. I am a complete water baby and so any time I can spend by the sea is something I love to do. Swimming with my daughter and exploring reefs, rocks and the world underneath the water is just fascinating. My other big passion is flowers - I love to visit flower markets, gardens and find it very therapeutic to do flower arranging.

Which celebrities/people from history do you think wore/wear jewellery well? 

Well of course I am going to say Wonder Woman - she really made jewellery powerful!  So much so that one of the first cuffs I designed was based on my memories of her - our Brushed Heidi Cuff.  It’s also one of our bestsellers.

 The other person I have to mention is Iris Apfel - I love her layering and bold statement jewellery. It may not be for everyone but she is the icon for that look.

What does a day look like for you at Ashiana HQ?

Being a single mum it’s all about balance and the goal posts are always changing.  I don’t have a typical day!   I wake up to cuddles from my daughter and dog - Max.  I quickly look at my phone and respond to any urgent questions I have from India as they are ahead in time zones so I need to get back to them first.  I do the morning routine and school drop off.  Head into the office with Max.  I work with my team in the office - I look at new designs, check with the stores we supply and speak to the team in India and China. I sometimes have meetings with wholesale clients or design meetings for private label work.. No one day is ever the same!

How would you describe Ashiana in 3 words?

Eclectic, Affordable and Golden.