Not for a wallflower

They started by showing off their baubles on Delhi’s flea market circuit. A chance sighting by stylista Pernia Qureshi meant that Sasha and Kaabia Grewal’s designs were included on the popular Pernia’s Pop Up Shop. A few showings on platforms like the Lakme Fashion Week and the London Jewe-llery Show later, it seems like there’s no stopping the Grewal sisters, who’re the creative brains behind “Outhouse”, the chic accessories brand.

Their edgy pieces have won fans ranging from Priyanka Chopra, who sported their agate tassel bracelet in celebrity photographer Dabboo Ratnani’s calendar, to Deepika Padukone, who chose a pair of Outhouse earrings as her only jewellery when she stepped out on the red carpet at the Star Guild Awards.

“Outhouse designs are not for wallflowers,” says Sasha Grewal, with a laugh, referring to the gorgeous women who wear their creations. “They’re for a strong, confident woman. You can wear the most beautiful clothes or accessories, but if you’re not confident, you’ll never be able to carry it off. We’d love to have a chance to dress someone like Rihanna!”

The sisters name Priyanka Chopra as one of the celebrities who represents their design philosophy — “She’s daring and very experimental, and that’s what we are as well,” says Kaabia.

Beautiful jewellery was something the Grewal girls learnt to love early on. “Big jewellery is a part of the culture of Punjab,” says Kaabia. “Our mom loved jewellery and she would drag us to all the shops, and that’s how our passion for design developed. We knew then that we’d work in the design realm in the future, not jewellery necessarily.”

Once Sasha and Kaabia realised that jewellery was what they wanted to focus on, setting up a design label together became very much a part of their plan. Their designs benefit from having two differing sensibilities — Kaabia leans towards a rock chic style while Sasha’s aesthetic is more Bohemian — as well as from their equation as sisters. “We do work separately; that way we come up with clearer concepts. We put together a mood board and then discuss how we’ll take it ahead. Arguments do occur! But we understand each other, so having two of us working on this is definitely a good thing,” says Sasha.

Their combined strengths helped them soldier on through the initial days of their label. In a milieu where jewellery is valued as an investment, Outhouse’s designs in non-precious metals were treated with skepticism. “There is a tendency here to weigh everything in terms of the metal you use,” rues Kaabia. “If I were to buy an Alexander McQueen dress, would I question the (price of) the fabric that is used? You’re paying for an idea...”
The sisters have seen that mindset change as their label has evolved. “Accessory designers like Suhani Pittie have really helped change the notion (that jewellery has to be looked at as an investment). Now you have brides who don’t want a precious, traditional maang-tikka on their big day,” Sasha says.

As their label takes off, the sisters keep busy with the demands of setting up their flagship store in Delhi and their upcoming show for the Summer/Resort 2014 season of the Lakme Fashion Week. They promise a line that’s very different from what they have been known for so far. “We’ve been travelling through Italy and were very inspired by the Roman civilisation. So you’ll see a lot of those motifs in our line,” says Kaabia.

Ask them who shaped their striking aesthetic, and the girls reply: “Diane Vreeland”. The legendary Harper’s Bazaar editor, Sasha says, has long been a muse. “She was so classy and elegant,” echoes Kaabia. “She showed us that style has to be original.”