Conservationist and fashion lover Parul Kuki Seth takes inspiration from strong, stylish women and the environment in her glamorous designs.
Parul Kuki Seth, the founder of Parulina, left her successful career in the fashion industry to start a family and soon devoted herself to her “second love,” jewelry. A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the designer describes her style as couture fine jewelry — “expensive but classic, and [it] transcends time.” Seth is an eclectic creator whose jewels evoke Old Hollywood glamour with an edgy twist. An ardent philanthropist and animal-lover, she supports the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). She also ensures all her creations, handmade in New York, use only ethically sourced gems and materials.
How do you define your style?
My muse at the time of starting jewelry design was [fashion model and designer] Daphne Guinness, who loves clothing and jewelry and wears both so well. She wears clothing which brings jewelry to life and jewelry which brings clothing to life; her style and ability to carry it off is impeccable. As such, I wanted to create a classic couture collection. For example, the Thorn hoops from my Fantaisie collection are designed to be worn with a Vivienne Westwood bustle skirt or a pair of jeans for completely different looks. I don’t want my jewelry to be worn occasionally with one special outfit and then put in a safe. I want my customer to wear my jewelry for special occasions and every day, to have fun with my jewelry and their clothing, and most importantly to love my jewelry.
Besides Guinness, who are your other muses?
There are so many women who stand out now as role models in our society, both as people and as fashion icons. Princess Diana, Princess Grace of Monaco, Diana Vreeland, Anna Wintour, Cate Blanchett and, more recently, the duchess of Cambridge are some of the strong women I admire and are inspirations for me. They wear clothes and jewelry with elegance and grace. I am equally inspired by women who have a different voice and are changing our world and present an edgier look.
Others are Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss, Sharon Osborne, Reese Witherspoon, and of course, Michelle Obama — I stood in line when she launched her book! For all these women, I admire how they respect others, offer kindness and talk about looking after our Earth. They all have their own individual styles, whether it be more classic or edgy, but they all transcend time in their own personal way.
From the world of music, I grew up with Madonna and David Bowie, and they continue to inspire me, among a lot more. Music is my life, and I cannot live without it. I also can’t forget Harry Styles and how he wears clothes and jewelry. He’s not afraid to take a risk, and it always pays off.
What is your latest collection about?
I am currently designing new collections, but I am very conscious of the time we are in. As such, I have put my latest collection for this year on hold due to Covid-19 and am instead working on everyday essentials you can wear with everything.
The last collection I launched was Terrene, which was inspired by Coachella. I went a couple years ago and loved the vibe; I lived in shorts and a cotton T-shirt, but with my cool essentials from my collections. I felt at one with the Earth and very boho-chic.
I’m a big hippie at heart. [Creating Terrene] came very easily to me. It was all about the Earth, the colors of it and the desert, using raw colored diamonds, rose-cut diamonds, ammonites and fossils, as well as golden South Sea pearls. [I] married a lot of elements to create one-of-kind, unusual pieces. There are big pendants on long chains, big earrings, small earrings, everyday wear, all keeping in touch with the boho look while being polished…like a “haute hippie.” I feel Terrene is a very earthy collection. It doesn’t scream diamonds and opulence, but it is classic, exquisite, very boho and extremely chic.
Which creation of yours do you consider the most iconic?
This is a very difficult question, especially for a designer, since I love every piece as though it were my baby. If pushed, I would say the three-finger ring I made for Gemfields’ debut in the jewelry industry was iconic for me. It was featured in every publication across the globe and a turning point for me, so this would have to be it.
How do you see the future of fine jewelry, especially coming out of the coronavirus crisis?
This is such a hard time for everyone, jewelers and retailers included. But at the same time, I honestly feel this pause and time for reflection in the world has been needed. We are starting to see stores and malls opening up, and customers are buying online. I do believe things will change. We are expecting a significant recession on the back of Covid-19, and I believe this will have an impact for two or three years to come. I think we will see a bigger divide between those who have money and those who don’t, and the middle class shrinking. As such, I think there will always be money for jewelry, but the demand for lower-priced items will reduce. Customers will want one special piece and will be happy to wait for that. They will want to invest in items that hold their value and, if need be, can be sold at a later point in time. Just as we saw in the Great Depression, jewelry will do just that.
What’s your favorite personal item of jewelry?
Again, this is a hard one for any designer, but I’d go for the Tiger pendant from the Hanging On collection. I not only love the animal and the piece, its attention to detail and how it shows such a beautiful animal hanging on for survival, but I love how this collection has been so successful and so good for the animal world. The Hanging On collection is endorsed by the Wildlife Conservation Society, and this recognition from individuals who have given their lives to these animals is more than I could have ever expected. As a designer, there is nothing better than sharing a piece with someone and seeing firsthand their love for one of my pieces. I’ve seen this many times at the WCS. This endorsement by WCS has been transformational for us, and I am so proud to now donate a large percentage of profits from this collection to them.
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