Handpicking an assortment of foliage, Chindu Treasa Benny handcrafts her labour of love, KALAVAI by Chindu, a botanical-inspired brand of floral resin jewellery collection that transports you into the lush green haven of the God’s Own Country. Asrashaheen.in chats up with this charming young entrepreneur to get a feel of her chic creations, which are an eclectic blend of ethnic and contemporary sensibilities.
It is 6:30 am on a Saturday, and Chindu Treasa Benny is ready for her morning walk through the quaint streets of Perumbavoor, a historic town located at the Bank of Periyar, near Kochi (Kerala). With her woven basket in hand, her curious eyes look around for all the floral offerings of nature that will make it to her assortment basket of the day. Amidst the misty foliage and woody fragrances, she spots some hazy white moss laced on an abandoned stone pavement. The sunshine yellow dandelions on the nondescript road verge entice her as always. And the delicate green ferns under the shade of a tree attract her rapt attention. When most denizens are still in bed, catching up on sleep on weekends, Chindu is out on her routine foliage drives and walks, handpicking a mélange of earthy elements in varied colours and textures.
She later painstakingly handcrafts all of these into tasteful pieces of resin jewellery, sold under the brand name KALAVAI by Chindu, which is no less than her labour of love. Each piece of her handcrafted floral bijoux transports you into the lush green haven of the God’s Own Country to where she belongs.
Adorn them with your plain kurta, Kalamkari saree or a jazzy jeans tunic, you almost feel like you are carrying a twig of nature with you. These botanical blings also make for some perfect priceless souvenirs and tokens of affection.
Asrashaheen.in chats up with Chindu Treasa Benny, the charming young entrepreneur, who wears her passion for style on every single trinket and thread of her sleeves. Is jewellery making a natural outcome of her love for accessorizing and trinkets? We find out and get a sense of the art and aesthetics of her handcrafted jewellery and the inspiration behind these chic foliage creations.
“Yes, I always aspired to run a business in fashion. During my college days, whenever I travelled, I explored a deep connection between jewellery and me. The intricate jewellery designs reminded me of the marvellous architecture of different places. I guess my love for antique ornaments and the joy I found in accessorizing myself was the inspiration behind floating this jewellery brand,” reveals Chindu.
Interestingly, Chindu completed her graduation in computer science engineering and moved on to pursuing her calling in fashion with a PG Diploma in Fashion Designing and Garment Construction in Bangalore. After working for some years in the fashion designing industry, she completed her Masters in Fashion Management from the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
How did KALAVAI happen?
“I am someone who likes to jot down things in a diary that I always carry with me. I pen down my future goals or anything that comes to my mind, including scribbling down thoughts and poems. Exactly a year ago, in the month of September, the idea of KALAVAI (a Tamil word for assortment or melange) struck me and I wrote it down in my diary. The idea stayed on with me and for the next two months. I was working on developing it — right from ideation to sourcing raw materials. And eventually launched KALAVAI by Chindu,” she explains.
From her zodiac sign-inspired logo to her tasteful double-string cotton pouch packaging, every bit of Chindu’s jewellery designing is an extension of her zest for accessorising and the reflection of her free-spirited love for Carnatic ragas and her favourite Reggae music. Even her morning drives for flower picking is a golden hour not just because she gets to handpick the freshest of misty foliage but also because it’s the quality time she gets to spend with her dentist husband, who is happy to tag along to assist her in all her creative endeavours.
A Rhapsody in Floral Bloom
The botanical-inspired resin jewellery is an exquisite art of handmaking ornaments using casting process of fossilizing flowers. Skilfully used in art, crafts and jewellery making, the resin is a flexible compound in liquid form. Once cured, it preserves the foliage permanently just as “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever”!
“I work with varied flowers, including Queen Anne’s lace, Ixora, golden shower and Persian jewels to name a few. Some are handpicked during my morning walks while other exotic ones are sourced from countries like North Africa and Turkey. Each has its own beauty and uniqueness. The flowers and leaves are dried thoroughly and then cast in resin and later crafted into beautiful jewellery with antique brass frames and chains,” describes Chindu. “For shipping, the jewellery is carefully packed inside an eco-friendly double string cotton pouch with safe wood excelsior wool used to secure them,” she adds.
The present collection includes some awe-inspiring necklaces, chokers, finger rings, earrings and bookmarks.
Minimalist yet bountiful: “I design in shapes such as circles, triangles and tear drops, and preferably in minimalist styles so that the emphasis is on botanical arrangement without compromising on the aesthetics. My USP is the combination of bohemian sensibilities with ethnic chic. I hardly make jewellery with a single flower because more experimentation is possible only with a melange of flowers, which is what my brand KALAVAI by Chindu is all about!” explains Chindu.
Bespoke and uplifting designs: Some of her designs are bespoke and custom-made according to the choices and personality of her clients. “Many of my clients wanted something custom made but didn’t have much clue about the colour combinations. So I narrow it down for them by asking them their favourite colour tones and combinations. I also share images of my previous works with them so they get clarity on how their choices can be custom designed,” she reveals. In fact, the testimonials of some of her happy clients on her social media pages speak for themselves.
KALAVAI by Chindu is positioned as an umbrella brand with the maiden concept of botanical desire and its range of floral jewellery. Coming up is her promising silver collection of varied accessories, including nosepins. All you chic jewellery enthusiasts watch out!
