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GJEPC chairman Praveenshankar Pandya offers a memento to Raj Kamal, director, ministry of commerce.

Colin Shah, member of PMBD, GJEPC, and managing director, Kama Jewellery, addressing the audience.

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n its golden jubilee year, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) held the fourth edition of the Design Inspirations seminar under the theme Designing for the Millennials on February 9-10.

Design Inspirations is an initiative to educate jewellers, designers and students about the upcoming trends in the gems and jewellery sector in India, Europe and the US. It seeks to give insights into consumer behaviour patterns, especially millennials, their aspirations, desires, emotions, feelings; and how to translate this data into thematic desgin concepts and offer visual directions.

The dignitaries for the inaugural session included Raj Kamal, director, ministry of commerce; Praveenshankar Pandya, chairman, GJEPC; Shailesh Sangani, convener, promotions, marketing & business development (PMBD), GJEPC; and Colin Shah, PMBD member, GJEPC, and managing director, Kama Jewellery.

In his keynote address, Pandya, said, “Design Inspirations seeks to establish the importance of a strong design base in a

rapidly evolving world order. India’s jewellery exports account for only 20% of the global business and most of this constitutes manufacturing designs provided by international retailers. India has rich archives of traditional jewellery designs and we need to blend the modern with the traditional. In sync with the Prime Minister’s vision of replicating India’s diamond business in the sphere of jewellery, we are opening three more Indian Institute of Gem & Jewellery centres in Varanasi, Mangalore and Punjab, to help nurture unique jewellery-making crafts. We also intend to create jewellery parks with modern machines to help produce modern 3D designs.”

Explaining the theme, Designing for the Millennials, Colin Shah noted, “We are hoping that each of you gets inspired with new ideas and experiences a paradigm shift in your way of thinking. This seminar will also serve as the base for India’s own Jewellery Trend Book that will be launched this year.”

(Clockwise from top left) Namita Pandya presents a token of appreciation to Shimul Mehta Vyas; Biren Vaidya shares his thoughts; and Reena Ahluwalia is greeted by Nirupa Bhatt.

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Shimul Mehta Vyas, activity chairperson, Outreach Programmes, NIDWe are observing global societal shifts: millennials are well connected and are adept in a technologically-enabled mobile society; we are in an era of disruption and jewellery is going through a paradigm shift; we are on the brink of the fourth Industrial Revolution, where we will witness a merging of digital and biological worlds; and the professionally-inclined millennials are spoilt for choice.

The new-age consumer is individualistic and unafraid to disagree or experiment. They have inborn confidence. We are observing a shift in their values – they are moving from ‘securing for the future’ to ‘living in the moment’. The concept of luxury is being redefined – the focus has changed from acquiring physical possessions to seeking non-materialistic pleasures; product offerings have changed from mass manufacturing to bespoke, affordable pieces; there is an attitudinal change as well – instead of following stereotypes they are shunning stereotypes. A shift is seen from mindless to mindful consumption.

We have to move on to the next level of the value chain by plugging research and design integration. Design is a creative process and should have storytelling values, associations, symbolism; it must be strong on ergonomics; colours, shapes and forms should be well integrated in a piece. Material innovation in jewellery is appreciated by millennials and the value of ‘preciousness’ comes from how well alternative materials are used to enhance designs. Technology is driving the way jewellery is going to be produced in the future. The new global order is all about being fashion forward, and embracing cultural heterogeneity at a global level and shifting from individual- driven to collaboration-driven creativity and teamwork.

Reena Ahluwalia, jewellery designer For the North American millennials, jewellery design denotes visual symbolism and memorable thoughts. Millennials are all about self-expression and values; they go for meaningful, minimalism adornments, which leave a lasting emotional impact. Millennials don’t want jewellery to define them, instead they want to define jewellery. I think there are five distinct trends that we are currently seeing: there is a renewed interest in enamelling as this technique enables the wearer to express her individuality; geometric shapes are preferred as millennials are digital citizens and have a high level of connectivity. So angular, hexagonal, rhombic shapes are trending; minimalism is key word. One is constantly bombarded with

information, so reaching out for minimalistic lifestyle and accessories makes life a little easy for this generation; being meaningful is of utmost importance to them. They are driven by a sense of purpose, and they want to define jewellery. So adaptable pieces are favoured; openness in making statements and establishing their identity is important to them. Therefore, they need to be the focus of their story. If you don’t understand who they are, you will not give them what they want.

Biren Vaidya, managing director, Rose GroupBrands have to break free from getting stagnated. Taking a lesson from Burberry’s branding exercise to attract the youth, we, too, should ‘personalise jewellery’ for the millennials, and un-think and unlearn our ways so as to give them enhanced customer experiences. It’s a ‘me’ generation, and for them every moment is a red carpet moment, and they know exactly what they want. Our internal research at Rose found that for the millennials, 60% of the jewellery segment constituted the bridal category and the peripheral functions around the main ceremony; 30% formed the wearable collection, including workwear, anniversaries, social get-togethers and more. It is the workwear segment that must have collections with a storyboard and should be different, and the materials used in this segment do not matter. Designer pieces are all about the differentiation factor that helps them stand out.

Shuchi Pandya, founder of Pipa+BellaAround 90% of our customers are millennials. This generation has a lot of energy, goodwill to make a difference in the world, plus, they are distracted. They are interested, inclusive, tolerant and appreciate commerce with ethics. They require instant gratification. They like premium products yet these should be accessible and relatable. Style is key for them, and they love to personalise products.

Therefore, technology is an enabler for personalisation and computers are using data to understand their fashion behaviour. So, design for identity – they are confident and embrace cultural elements; design for easy availability – they want the ordered product in less than three days; design for lack of loyalty – they are inundated with information on brands, so, keep offering them something unique; design with morality – as this generation has a higher level of conscience.

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Ajit Shilpi, architect and interior designerChange is a constant with today’s generation. Designing interiors, for instance, means being unconventional and allowing them room for multi-tasking. Today, barriers between bosses and employees are shrinking, so the idea of being connected reflects in interior designs. Millennials are conscious of the environment; need instant gratification; are mostly on the move, and when troubled with existential questions, they even go back to traditions for answers; so designs have to be picked cleverly and there is no one single answer. Give them components like colours, settings, techniques and materials to choose from and collaborate with them to design a piece. Getting 'fixed' designs is becoming a thing of the past.

Kamna Choudhary of Platinum Guild International - India Millennials are the largest population segment in the world, with about 440 millennials in India alone. They are digital natives and are highly acquisitive. These tech-savvy traditionalists are connected to family and the world, and consider themselves equal on the global stage. They believe in gender equality and seek internet advice before taking any decision. They are socially responsible and before making purchases, they check what will benefit them and what is for the greater good of the world. So designers have to create meaningful stories, and platinum stands out as a metal of choice for them as its rarity brings exclusivity that a millennial seeks. Platinum is an established symbol of love, and symbology is one of the big factors that works in favour of millennials.

There are two design themes that we have come up with recently – Infinite Odyssey and Bold Minimalism. Infinite Odyssey includes personal themes that echo with their values and the design mood board is about loose knots, signifying multiplicity, braiding, multi-textural interplay, links, organic nature, fluidity, rough finishes and irregular edges. The platinum design hooks for Bold Minimalism include 3D sculptural motifs, off-centre settings, hidden patterns and more.

You have to earn the loyalty of a millennial by constantly engaging her. She must believe that she is buying out of her own choice and not being compelled to make a choice.

Navin Sadarangani, founder of NYUZTo get a millennial’s attention, who seeks overall shopping

experience and is willing to pay a premium, some retailers have already started moving in that direction and are engaging them with unsual initiatives, including visual merchandising, customer service, etc. The Anmol Hug campaign by Mumbai’s Anmol Jewellers featured its loyal customers as brand ambassadors for one of its campaigns. Cibi Diamonds, a diamond jewellery retailer in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, has re-invented the art of selling jewellery. Every customer gets a 15-minute orientation course on the 4Cs of diamonds; there is a bakery in the store to tickle your taste buds, and an art gallery to make the customer feel special.

Tanmay Shah, head of innovation, Imaginarium First ask yourself a question, ‘Are you a millennial designer?’ If yes, we have advanced technology that is enabling customisation, allowing us to make complex designs, and there are enough tools today to execute original concepts into jewellery. Designers can use technology for Advanced Visualisation, Digital Fabrication, and Computer-aided empathy and blend them with stories that can be co-created with customers. Failure when creating designs has become affordable today as there is no loss of value in terms of metal, gemstones, etc. Be a smart designpreneur!

Ashiesh Shah, architectJewellery, like architecture, is about design principles and highlighting fluidity, use of light, and personalisation. Like any creation, more so today, jewellery, too, has to be backed by inspiration and ease of use.

Revathi Kant, associate vice president – design, innovation & development, TitanOf the 440 million millennials in India, 390 million are GenZ (below 21 years of age). This is a huge consumer base and they are highly influential as they have a share of voice on various social media platforms. This first digital generation also exhibits a Millennial Paradox… while they are obsessed with self-expression and exercising individual choice, they have an unprecedented need to share and belong to some form of community, a sort of collective individualism; they are moving from ownership to sharing – sharing appliances, time share, homes, etc.; they are the ‘right now’ generation. The Diamond Insight Report 2016 published by De Beers Group stated that Indian millennials spent over $2 billion on diamond jewellery in 2015. So,

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for them, jewellery is about looking beautiful and not for lockers. Design is of value and they look for experience and not acquisitions. For them, it is not about affordability but priority.

Paola De Luca, founder & creative director, The Futurist Ltd.We are in a digital era that has transformed our environment. Marketers are facing challenges battling online and offline reality. Business is slow and retailers are not flexible enough to shift strategies rapidly. They seem confused as to why consumers are not walking into the stores. Designers cannot design in isolation, they must have business sense and understand consumer needs; they should be gutsy to make collections that actually sell. For millennials, time is precious and luxury is about entertaining them. Simplicity is a buzzword for the future luxury market and the future consumer longs for brands to help them detox their lives. Millennials are sceptical about

Designing for the Domestic Market (panellists: Shailesh Sangani, convener, PMBD, GJEPC, & founder of Priority Jewels; Milan Choksi, CEO, Moksh; and jewellery designer Farah Khan Ali; moderator: Soma Bhatta, editor, The Retail Jeweller)Designer collections for the Indian market do better when they revolve around a story, said Farah Khan, adding that when she works with top retailers she also works around maintaining the price points. Sangani was of the view that price points and design were the key factors especially for mass market jewellery – ranges between I20,000 and I35,000 move well both online and offline, he noted. Choksi was of the view that today’s consumer was willing to pay a premium for a brand if there was value addition in terms of design. They concluded that this is an age of personalisation and one has to pay attention to the needs of a consumer. Distinguishing oneself in terms of designs was important.

Marketing to Millennials and Design For Export Markets (panellists: Bobby Kothari of Jewelex; Colin Shah of Kama Schachter; and Sushil Choksey of KBS Diamonds; moderator: Nirupa Bhatt, managing director – GIA India & Middle East)

luxury labels – it is not about how much they spend, but how priceless is the interactive experience. Marketing expert Pam Danziger has predicted that by 2035, millennials will have the potential to become the largest spending generation in history!

So, it’s important that every designer or manufacturer looks at the emerging trends and research on product development in advance. Some key design directions for the next year are: Hardwear, is about simple silhouettes, lightweight pieces, including bubbles and spheres and so, cabochon gems will be back in a big way. Stackable pieces will be important; Cosmic Charm encompases stellar motifs, talismans; Fantasy Forest celebrates nature, an evergreen category; Chromatic Craze includes enamels, coloured metal, gems and hybrid jewellery such as silver paired with bronze, leather or gold and so on; Exotic Treasures will focus on high-end, but unique fine jewellery; Bold Décor includes lacy, crochet-like designs that are voluminous but very light; Links with or without gems; and Beyond Deco is becoming a big trend in high-end jewellery.

In her opening remarks Nirupa Bhatt noted that 80% of millennials are skeptical of traditional advertising. She opined, “Don’t speak down to them, instead, offer a good story and be authentic. When selling jewellery, we need to tell them more than just the weight of diamonds or gemstones, because luxury is about pricelessness and customisation. Also, social participation is a big driver for brand affinity. So, with design as your key competency, be social media savvy or hire an expert so that your brand experience should be uniform across all media platforms.”

The panellists stressed that organisations should filter data on consumer behaviour for their in-house designers. It is important to study your target markets and work with data-proven concepts. They also threw light on the two important segments in the US market, namely, bridal and fashion, with each having its niche characteristics. They noted that there was a difference in designing jewellery sold through brick-and-mortar stores and online, where customisation and personalisation become key elements for sales. They noted that use of 3D technology for mass production along with design differentiation will help manufacturers gain an edge. For the export market, there is a tremendous scope in introducing techniques for setting diamonds and gems even if one makes smaller items, like rings, because the devil lies in the details. n

Panel Discussions

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