Bedazzled!

Jewellery designer and philanthropist Falguni Mehta opens up to Masala! 

 

Falguni Mehta

Falguni Mehta’s simple upbringing and groundedness is apparent from the moment you meet her. Warm and welcoming, her sprawling mansion has a surprisingly intimate feel to it with a generous plethora of art and artefacts adorning every nook and corner. What’s more, this lady is more than accomplished in both her personal and professional pursuits; a jewellery designer extraordinaire and a member of the charity Roshni, under the ICWC umbrella, she has worked in hospitals and medical camps to alleviate some amount of suffering. Her contribution to society at large in the region doesn’t just end there. Along with her husband Yogesh Mehta, Falguni supports many cultural events and causes in Dubai and is an avid music fan too. Her worldly perspective and creative bent makes her a prized addition to the Masala! Awards judges’ panel this year. Here are excerpts of our chat with the wonderful Falguni Mehta...

Where did you grow up? Tell us about your upbringing...
I grew up in Mumbai, India. I had a nice and happy childhood. We were a close knit family and enjoyed life’s simple pleasures.

Can you tell us about your work and how you became a jewellery designer?
I have always loved jewellery and had an eye for it. At some point I started designing my own jewellery which was appreciated by my friends and they asked me to make
some pieces for them; that actually got the ball rolling.

What kind of jewellery do you create? Tell us about your latest collection…
I got together with my jeweller friend in India and we started designing our own line of jewellery with diamonds, precious stones and pearls. Our latest collection is festive in nature. We introduced a few new concepts which were well appreciated by our loyal clientele and the response has been overwhelming. Sometimes to add drama, we introduce enamel, shells, carved stones and more to make our pieces different. Our earrings are very popular.

Can you tell us about being a member of the charity Roshni?
Roshni is a charity group we formed three years ago. We are 13 women who work toward doing our bit for the underprivileged. We have various activities like fund-raising, jail visits, hospital visits and helping in medical camps. We work under the umbrella of the ICWC.

What is a regular day in your life like?
Every day in my life is different as I have a lot of commitments and travel a lot. However, I still try and juggle things around and find time to do all the things I like. I must admit, however, that life does get hectic sometimes, but at the end of it all, I am not complaining.

How do you kick back and relax when you are not working?
Casual dinners and lunches are a great time to unwind and relax. My husband and I take a lot of holidays sometimes mixing work and pleasure. We have a home in London so we just go there for a few days to relax. Our son, Rohan, was studying in Boston and I would go and stay with him for a couple of weeks and come back totally rejuvenated. He is now in Dallas and I hope to spend some time with him there too! Just being together makes us feel so good.