Misho teams up with homegrown coffee brand Araku for an unexpected collaboration

Jewellery designer Suhani Parekh’s newest collaboration took her to the valleys of Araku

In the world of jewellery largely dominated by diamonds and pearls, Misho's irreverently mismatched earrings, geometric shapes (hello, earpod earrings!) and Zodiac necklaces are cutting through the noise. It's safe to say that Misho, the brainchild of Suhani Parekh, is different. While we have devoured her candy-coloured ear cuffs and rings, as well as her collection of pendants made in alliance with luxury handloom brand, Ekaya, at The Established, we can be quite wary of collaborations. So Parekh’s latest association with Araku, a coffee brand whose plantation is located in the eponymous valley in the Eastern Ghats of India, may come across as a little unexpected. The jewellery designer has created a collection of 40 pieces inspired by the tribal women of Araku. But what can a coffee brand and a jewellery label have in common? We speak with Parekh to find out.

The coming together of Misho and Araku coffee is unusual for a fashion collaboration. How did it materialise?

Aditi [Dugar], who works with Araku [as the chief brand advisor of retail and lifestyle], loves Misho and knows and understands the brand. She mentioned that the tribal women in Araku, too, had beautiful jewellery, and that’s what resonated with me. I went to Araku and was completely blown away by what the Naandi Foundation was doing in terms of helping and educating the farmers about agriculture, and teaching them about organic farming, compost, manure and harvesting. The foundation’s mission is to help thousands of tribal farmers in the region with Araku Coffee, who have created a community for farmers to grow and thrive in. The idea took shape and initially there was no commitment or collaboration discussed. It was one of those experiences I couldn’t put into words.

It seems like every designer is working on a collaboration now. How do you find a brand that's right for you to collaborate with?

I really like brands that have a philosophy similar to that of mine. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a fashion brand. With this collaboration, what Araku Coffee and Naandi Foundation are both doing is great, in terms of the charitable aspect. I also really love coffee and that’s what I initially thought the focus would be. But once I went to the Araku Valley, it was the women there who left me inspired with their incredible jewellery heritage.

We’ve asked this question in one of our previous articles on why designers collaborate. Sometimes it's a good marketing strategy and makes business sense. But do you think it makes designers less compliant or leads to a lack of creativity?

It can be a combination of both and it completely depends on the collaboration. At times you have to keep in mind that the person you're collaborating with has their own aesthetic, their own language, their own branding and their own audience that you need to align with.

What was really nice about this collaboration with Araku Coffee was the complete free rein because coffee has got nothing to do with fashion. It wasn’t like I was producing sketches and sharing them for review. With Araku, I got first-hand experience, got to meet the team and saw how the coffee is made. I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted and that's honestly the best brief that any designer can have.

Such collaborations also push you out of your comfort zone. As designers, we have a few established ideas we think are interesting or inspiring. But collaborations such as these create opportunities to find inspiration in different ways. While I'm inspired by art, architecture and my travels, I wouldn't necessarily think of going to a coffee plantation for inspiration. In that sense, this collaboration was very different; it felt more like an artist-in-residence, where you spend time at the site, you have the space, you do your own research, you are inspired by what you experience and then you create what you want without any restrictions or limitations.

What's next for you?

Lots of stuff because honestly, I love designing. I find inspiration in a lot of different things, including the women in my life and everyday experiences. It’s with jewellery that I channel and extract them all.

The Misho x Araku Coffee collaboration will be available from 1 May 2022, on Misho’s website.

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