Noyra – Blur The Border

Noyra

Interviewed by Manica Pathak

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BRAND NAME - Noyra

FOUNDER - Meher Jetley

STARTED IN - 2020

USP - Timeless Everyday Jewellery

It was on one of her childhood trips to Jaipur that Meher Jetley first became fascinated with jewellery. Today, as she speaks with Blur The Border and traces her journey, it doesn't come as a surprise how Meher’s career in fashion design took a pivot towards establishing Noyra - a jewellery label of her own. Founded in 2020, Noyra handcrafts timeless jewellery pieces with high-quality metals and gemstones. While Meher’s minimalist approach to design emanates from all the pieces, they carry a multitude of narratives that span culture, history, and even psychology -but at the heart of it all lies a distinct homage to Indian craftsmanship.

Meher's Picks

Who is the one influencer you wish to see wearing your products?

I’m a bit old school, so for me, the word influencer means someone who has inspired me or taught me something. At the moment, that influencer is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. I would love to see her in a statement neckpiece from Noyra.

Is there a podcast, book, or social media handle that you’ve found helpful for your business?

Podcast: Big Think and Einzelganger

Book: Give & Take by Adam Grant

One celebrity you’d like to see wearing your piece?

Deepika Padukone.

BTB: How did you come up with the name for your brand?

MEHER: In 2020, while brainstorming, I actually wanted to name my brand Catharsis because the entire process of starting a brand felt cathartic for me. I wasn't fixated on it, though. During the same year in August, the word Noyra just occurred to me, like an Eureka moment. I think, now, I am at a stage where I’ll probably give the name a meaning because for me Noyra means Hope, Courage, and Resilience.

BTB: How did jewellery go from being your personal style statement to becoming a brand?

MEHER: My fascination with jewellery started at quite an early age. My mother would often pick up small pieces of jewellery on our trips to Jaipur. On one of those trips, she picked up these semi-precious stone bangles in silver and I remember waiting for the day I could borrow those from her and flaunt them. Even as a teenager or in my college years, I would always wear a statement neckpiece. As my design sensibilities were honed, I discovered I had a knack for designing these statement pieces as well. Soon after, I started making everyday jewellery pieces for myself, which caught a lot of attention. That was when I decided that if ever started a business, it would be a jewellery brand.

BTB: What role did your professional background play in your journey as an entrepreneur?

MEHER: I studied at NIFT Gujarat so exposure to textiles and working with artisans was inevitable. After graduation, working directly with artisans at Vajor and WSC Gujarat allowed me to further understand all the aspects of the fashion and textile industry, and it's where I also discovered my passion for working with artisanal crafts and a calling for entrepreneurship. Today, as an entrepreneur in the design space, I have always believed that one needs to learn how to keep everyone happy in the supply chain to reach a certain level of success - right from the artisan creating your product down to the end customer picking up your product. A balance needs to be maintained at all levels and importance needs to be given equally to all.

BTB: What have been some of the customers' favourites from your current and previous collections?

MEHER: From Supernova, currently, it’s the Juno Ring and the Venus Star Necklace, and from my previous works, Iris Choker, Circus Choker, and Naulakha Haar Choker.

What is the show/book/song you are currently obsessing over?

I just watched Made In Heaven 2 and can’t get it out of my head. I am a big cinephile, so the movies I recently loved the most were Oppenheimer and Barbie.

In my spare time, you’ll find me…

...playing tennis. The game has brought in a certain discipline and a level of confidence in me.

Brands I am loving right now…

Elina Alhuwalia, Pero and Raw Mango

My personal favorite from Noyra is...

The Astraea necklace - I fell in love with it when I was designing it. It has all of my favorite elements - glass polki, beaten metal stars, and moonstone beads.

BTB: What inspired the fusion of two different cultural elements, like blending Egyptian lapis lazuli with the essence of the Greek Goddess Athena in your recent 'Supernova' collection?

MEHER: Supernova is a collection that on the surface takes inspiration from the said phenomenon, but at the base, it has a lot to do with psychology. Humans, much like stars, undergo large-scale, life-altering events and give birth to a new self. This collection pays tribute to the birth of a new you. The pandemic was something of a renaissance for us all, where we bid adieu to a part of ourselves and systems that needed to be put down and gave birth to a new self and system. Supernova pays tribute to this welcome change from the death of the old.

BTB: What are some non-commercial victories you have achieved that have helped your business?

MEHER: It would be sustaining my original vendors and artisans in Jaipur, who took a leap of faith in me. They have seen the scale of orders growing from the time I started, till today.

BTB: You also do customized jewellery. How long does the process take from ideation to execution and how do you manage the entire order process, especially being in a different state?

MEHER: The entire process takes 3-4 weeks to get executed. I like getting on a call with the customer first or meeting them to understand exactly what they’re looking for. If someone selects a particular stone and cuts for a ring or pendant, I usually source that first to have it approved by the customer. My vendors send in the required stones from Jaipur for approval, and once that is sorted, the final design is discussed with the customer. The stone is then sent back for the production process.

BTB: How do you ensure that the consumer demands in the market do not overpower your brand’s aesthetics?

MEHER: At Noyra, my purpose is to create pieces that are timeless, and versatile and can complement both a T-shirt and an elegant dress. We also provide repair and restoration services to make sure that your pieces last for a long time. But, apart from Noyra’s individuality, it is essential to understand the direction consumers are taking, especially due to various socioeconomic factors that are influencing today's fashion landscape such as the climate crisis, that encourage a shift towards a more minimalist approach in all aspects of life. Therefore, it's only logical to align market demands with my design philosophy.

BTB: How has your training in design helped translate your vision to the artisans?

MEHER: Having a clear vision of the designs and their various constructional aspects is very important. It makes it easier for you to explain and the artisans to understand. For that, I am very fortunate to have received my training in design. Additionally, knowing the properties of each stone, understanding the metal, and the processes of jewellery beforehand also helps. I have seen that a lot of people pick out images from Pinterest for the artisans to make the products directly from but eventually if you don’t have the proportions or certain design aspects clear in your mind, it only confuses the artisans.

BTB: How did your training at NIFT and your collaboration with industry artisans influence your approach to designs at Noyra?

MEHER: I think it stems from my design training at NIFT and my experience working with artisans in the industry, as both have brought diverse learnings and experiences. With our bandwidth of knowledge, we designers tend to create the craziest designs but it's the artisans who can actually assess the practicality and the cost-effectiveness of your designs. They give you the ultimate reality check.

BTB: What is your favourite customer memory that you would like to share?

MEHER: One of our customers has religiously picked up 4-5 styles in the past 2.5 years and I remember writing a letter to her thanking her for this gesture. Honestly, this was a big deal - that there is someone out there in the world who likes, and is a proud owner of some lovely, collectable designs from Noyra.

BTB: How do you see your brand evolving over the next 3-5 years, and what steps are you taking to achieve that?

MEHER: The aim is to take Noyra international. Let’s see how that is achieved.