Fierce & Feminine

Whether it’s a model sashaying down the runway in one of his couture creations or a woman donning a spectacular diamond encrusted necklace from his jewellery line, Bibhu Mohapatra is pushing the boundaries of creativity with his latest jewellery collaboration with Forevermark says Sanjana Parikh

Hailing from the eastern state of Odisha, Bibhu Mohapatra has had a deeply entrenched love for the vibrant textiles and luxurious fabrics that India has to offer. His mastery with fabrics led to the launch of his eponymous label that has been ruling fashion runways since 2009 and has seen a slew of A-list celebrities donning his stunning creations. Edgy and bold, most of his ensembles denote the subtle power of femininity that every woman possesses.While he was completing his degree from the famed Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Bibhu honed his skills as an assistant designer at the iconic American fashion label Halston. His eye for detail and keen sense of aesthetics was recognized as he was awarded Critics Award Best Evening Wear Designer in his senior year. A nine-year stint at J. Mendel after his graduation taught Bibhu the tricks of the trade and helped cement his career. Today, he is a well known name amongst fashion circles in his own right and creates custom couture evening gowns, cocktail dresses and furs for a select group of private clients in New York, Europe and India

But creating high fashion ball gowns can be wildly different from crafting opulent diamond necklaces. A true testament to his creativity and skill, Bibhu has managed to combine these distinct talents into a single collaboration. So how exactly did he go about this? Weeks of brainstorming on what exactly he could bring to the table occupied his thoughts prior to his meeting with Sachin Jain of Forevermark. “My main focus was to present what my brand stands for and what I will take away from this collaboration. It was the curiosity and hunger for gaining knowledge on the art of jewellery making that led to this collaboration. I had some idea about what jewellery means culturally but did not have technical knowhow. I made numerous sketches along with the design team who gave me many options on how to best realize my initial ideas and thus Artemis was conceived. I am way more informed now than I was at the beginning of this journey.”

Speaking about his collaboration Bibhu shares, “Diamonds make fashion timeless! They make style evolve and live forever. Forevermark diamonds are of the highest quality of diamonds that are responsibly sourced and truly signify an eternity of joy, commitment and promise. These attributes align right with the Bibhu Mohapatra brand DNA as well.”

Since 2016, Bibhu has constantly presented an array of jewellery creations that are both intricate yet statement making in itself. The latest set of designs from the Bibhu x Forevermark Artemis Collection strikes a perfect balance of modernity and tradition that projects confidence. This time PMJ Jewels has taken on the task of bringing these designs to life bringing with them their expert craftsmanship and jewellery making techniques. The collection is a truly mystifying combination of Bibhu’s unique vision, flawless craftsmanship from PMJ and beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced Forevermark diamonds.

Comprising of 17 pieces in total, you will find layered necklaces, cocktail rings, pendant necklaces, earrings, bracelets and cuffs all studded with brilliant diamonds. Exclusively designed for the contemporary woman of today, Bibhu has selected nature as its central focus and this is reflected in floral motifs that are a part of most of the creations. The graceful stems of calla lilies have been used in a never seen before manner forming pieces that are both timeless yet trendy. Bibhu believes that women, like nature, have always withstood the test of time with grace, beauty and elegance. This unique character of women has inspired the evolution of the Artemis Collection.

“This is the second offering from Artemis so it has similar elements in spirit as the first one but it comes with a completely different aesthetic as it stems from a different source of inspiration. Elegant, feminine and statement making are some of the words I would use to describe this collection.

This time we have used white as well as yellow diamonds to add to the allure of the pieces,” he shares. Bibhu has been known for dressing the world’s most fashionable icons from actor Gwyneth Paltrow to the former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama who swore by his design sensibilities. His latest premium ready to wear collection goes hand in hand with the exquisitely crafted pieces as they both cater to the same audience. “The association with Forevermark has made my work much simpler as they only select the rarest and most beautiful diamonds for the designs. It’s like having the most beautiful textile to create a garment with. The pieces in the Artemis Collection lend themselves to a modern, independent woman who lives life on her terms and oozes confidence in whatever she chooses to do. She is well travelled, aware of global events and has a keen eye for quality. She can be from any part of the world and is definitely here in India.”