Curio Cottage Silver Spring
Curio Cottage Silver Spring
S/S 2020
Bridging the gap between expensive and imitation-quality jewellery is ANAND BATHIJA, the third-generation entrepreneur at Curio Cottage.
Curio Cottage is synonymous with affordable yet high-quality jewellery. As Anand Bathija claims, “At Curio Cottage, we try and create something for everyone.” The third-generation entrepreneur joined the family business at the young age of 17. Juggling interacting with clients in the mornings and attending college (Anand did his Bachelor in Commerce from HR College of Commerce, Mumbai) later in the day, he discovered very early in life what he truly loved doing. His enthusiasm for his work has remained unadulterated all these years. “I frankly love every aspect of the business right from sourcing stones to working with skilled karigars and networking with clients,” he says.
Recalling the early days of the brand, Anand shares the story of how his grandfather started this journey in 1971 in a small store in the touristic hub of Colaba, Mumbai, from where he used to retail silver jewellery, handicrafts, and, of course, Curio’s. And now, as the brand looks forward to its 50th year, they are not only the leaders in contemporary designer jewellery, in India, but also define accessory trends.
The ethos of the brand revolves largely around its originality and the unrivalled quality that it has to offer. “You’ll find something for every season, reason, person, destination, and mood,” explains Anand. From a delicate minimalist silver ring to an OTT necklace, Curio Cottage specialises in silver jewellery. Integration of traditional heritage techniques with modern design whims defines the design strategy of the brand. “We believe the difference is in the details. From high fashion, classic, resort to wedding wear our designs are contemporary but given a twist with Indian sensibilities,” adds Anand.
Another fact that makes Curio Cottage stand above its peers is the promptness with which the brand introduces new collections. To adapt to a rapidly changing market they have condensed their design cycle from six to two months. For the brand, this translates to about 50 designs every week. “Clients are more demanding now and we love it. Our team loves a challenge and it brings out the best in us,” comments Anand. To ensure its customers get nothing but the best experience, Curio Cottage provides a repolishing facility for all its products. The collection is priced in the range of ₹1,000 for smaller pieces to ₹40,000 for bridal necklaces.
For Curio Cottage its clients, chic influencers and celebrities are the inspiration behind their designs. “They deserve the best which motivates us to do more and be more creative,” states Anand. Their recent collection “Elements” is curated in collaboration with celebrity stylist Sanjana Batra. “We felt that since she is from the fashion and film industry, her inputs would be spot on and they were,” adds Anand. To cater to the very social-media-aware clientele, Curio Cottage recently designed haslis in pure silver. Anand explains that this contemporary haslis are more wearable than the traditional ones and can be paired with something as modern and basic as a white shirt.
Over the years the brand has worked with several celebrities. “Celebrities influence us; what they wear and ask for, gives us an insight into trends,” explains Anand. Personalities such as Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty have worn his jewellery. Additionally, Curio Cottage has also been working closely with the Miss India Pageant.
But for its enthusiastic owner, the brand still has a long way to go. Anand recognizes an increasing demand for quality fashion jewellery in the market. With four stores in Mumbai, he would like to expand nationwide but not at the cost of losing its identity.
“I believe in organic and sustainable growth where we are in the position to give the same experience to future clients as we do currently. So, growth will come but in the right manner.”
In essence, the brand revels in its ability to cater to its clients requests promptly and effectively. They credit their success to their loyal customers. Anand proudly says, “I believe the brand belongs to the customers and not owners. They make it happen and if you keep your customers at the centre of everything, you can never go wrong.”
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