Avrachic owner Shalini Bisht has come a long way since she began her journey working for retail stores. On finding interest in the field of jewellery, she initiated her own business when she was only a young adult. Now that her business is doing well in Punjab and Delhi, she plans to expand it in other cities. Her latest Samba collection has grabbed eyeballs. Excerpts from an interview:

Q Your autumn-winter collection 2017, Samba, seems to be greatly influenced by the Samba dance form as the name already suggests. Is there a specific reason why you chose this dance form?
Having a great fondness for this dance form, I decided to take this up as my Autumn/Winter Collection 2017-18. Even just the word “samba” evokes a sense of fun and vibrancy, which is why we were so excited to incorporate the fabulous shade into our collection.

Q Do tell more regarding the designs in the Samba Collection.
This collection reflects energy, rhythm, liveliness, madness, colours, happiness and celebration. It focuses on showcasing every expression of life through handmade tassels in vibrant colours creating magic and a sense of enchantment when combined with crystals and beads. Offering a wide array from bold to beautiful, beachy to chi-chi, don’t expect any fragility here. It is made for you to treasure all your unforgettable moments of joy and celebration.

Q Your jewellery is mostly handmade or can one say that’s the speciality of Avrachic jewellery. Why have you chosen this method? Which is the customer base you are targeting?
Yes, our jewellery is completely handmade but we call it “heart made” since it is infused with lots of love and craftsmanship. It allows us to keep it very light weight and customise according to the need and occasion of a person. It takes two-three days to complete one pair of earrings since no machinery is used from beginning till the end. Our jewellery caters to the needs of urban women who are constantly fighting to find a balance between professional status, personal life and social presence by providing them wearable art combined with intricate craftsmanship. Our mission is to bling their evenings in lesser time and lesser effort with lots of colours and enduring stones, crystals and beads.

Q Your company is doing well in Delhi and Punjab. Do you plan to expand your business across the country any time soon?
Yes, we are well established in Delhi and Punjab but we are currently focusing on Mumbai for expansion and we are available in New York and Vancouver now.

Q You started your business when you were really young. Give us insights on the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
Being young has its share of positives because I am willing to experiment and am not so worried about prejudices like success or failure. I do it for the love of what I do.
The challenges are plenty because I don’t have a business degree but I am learning along the way and with the help of strong support system, good products and appreciative clientele, Avrachic is a success!

Q Any message for young and aspiring women entrepreneurs?
I would just say follow your dreams and never give up easily. Face the challenges and keep going. I remember what Teddy Roosevelt had said, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have”.