Suhani Parekh

For a while now, the fashion industry has been ablaze with graphic twists of metal looped around necks, wrists and ears. The talk about town is that sculptural jewellery is the new idée fixe. Misho, a homegrown accessory label, is characterised by clean lines, architectural forms and simplified geometric shapes. The brainchild of Suhani Parekh, Misho is sculpted as modern architecture for the body.  ‘I studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths University in London where I predominately worked with sculpture. I decided to wear one of the pieces and absolutely loved the way it functioned within the space of the body. Ideas of sculpture and form are central to the jewellery and I think of it as wearable sculpture,’ says Suhani. 

Misho’s aesthetic is an amalgamation the Bauhaus ideology and Japanese minimalism. Bauhaus was an art school in Germany founded by Walter Gropius with an intention to bring art, design, craft and architecture into a single space and break down the walls between the creative disciplines. The school’s focus on material, form and geometry has been a perpetual influence on Suhani’s design process. ‘Since the brand is influenced by Japanese minimalism, a name inspired by Japan seemed perfect. Misho is an ancient Japanese Bonsai technique, the process by which a seed turns into a Bonsai tree. It made me think of how an idea —a seed—becomes a tangible and beautiful piece of design. But the truth is, it all started with a cat. I met a cat named after this bonsai technique. When I looked into its eyes I thought it defined elegance, gravity and serenity. I got to know her; she was one of the feistiest, most mischievous cats I’ve come across. I think the cat embodied the essence of what I wanted Misho to be, serious substance but a lot of fun,’ says Suhani. 

With a keen interest in the infinite potential that metals offer and in the idea of transforming and stretching the scope of what they can create, Suhani started working with metals during her time at Goldsmiths University. Gradually, she started making sculpture that looked better on the body than it did on a plinth; pieces that transform and truly come into their own when worn on the body. The collection Blue Print is influenced by modern architecture; the pieces appear as unified constructions that unfold into a succession of chaining perspectives. Mediated Matter draws from nature and explores the taciturn language of the circular form. Gravity is fluid, minimal and mobile, an infinite interplay of transforming lines and shifting spheres. ‘It’s all about creating something unexpected. Each piece taps into the timeless art of silversmithing to create pieces that are refined yet playful, edgy yet sophisticated, understated yet striking,’ says Suhani.

Take a look at Misho's collections here.


Text Ritupriya Basu