Jewellery Designer Anisha Parmar (Ani) & Fashion Designer Shilpa Bilimoria (Shi) have come together to create:
Ani & Shi: Trailblazers for Heritage Style
The first story looks back at the vintage saris handed down from their grandmothers to their mothers paired with vintage accessories, clothing and pieces of their own style to bring a modern edge. As an echo to the archive of photos they found of their families they wanted to depict a fresh take on this history as well as shine a light on their inspiration which stem from their families migrant journeys from Gujarat, India to East Africa and finally then to England. (and for Shilpa onto Canada and back again)
A significant overlap in both their own practices is how they embody this multicultural identity in the present day and the expression of the gratitude and homage they feel and pay to their heritage.
The designers met in Wembley, exhibiting their work, and through that platform came to know each other well. Both Anisha & Shilpa looked to each other
for inspiration, support and moving their individual visions forward.
After sometime the dots began to connect, and they discovered how much synergy there was between them, where they came from, their heritage and ancestral journeys.
Somehow all of the ambition and drives behind each ones aesthetic for creation sat alongside the others as a reinforcement of connectivity.
With Anisha making statement luxury jewellery, and Shilpa’s luxury Upcycling they started to bring the looks together naturally.
After many a discussion, what they learned is that the enquiry they both had into unravelling the path of their ancestry was one that was shared.
Here Ani & Shi will delve into this world and share along the way.
Photography by Pierre Papet
