A Khan'vas of rich motifs
The jewellery designer, with strong roots in the city, gets inspired by her travels and loves to promote local talent.
Her USP lies in her warmth. It radiates even across a telephone call. Jewellery designer Farah Khan is a woman on the move, literally and figuratively! She will be in Bengaluru today for her jewellery exhibtion. Her social calendar is choc a block. From attending a family wedding in Dubai, to zooming off on a quick Italian sojourn with her pals and adding a few Indian destinations to her travelogue, Farah certainly lives life queen size.
But make no mistake! She’s an incredibly hardworking woman, a fact that is admirable, given her privileged background.
Daughter of Bengaluru-bred actor Sanjay Khan and his interior designer wife Zarine, Farah has fond memories of Bengaluru, where her dad owned a resort. “I love the city. I have family here and now since I have been visiting regularly, I have good friends too. I find the people extremely fashionable here. South India has evolved so much in terms of style. And of course, I relish the South Indian cuisine,” says the multi-tasking mum of two, with a flourishing jewellery line.
Farah has managed to superbly strike a balance between her various roles. She attributes it to one word. ‘Discipline.’ “I am good with time management,” she reveals and her travels inspire the designer in her. Farah’s penchant for travel is well document on Insta, where her well shot pictures draw instant likes from her well wishers. “I am adventurous and love being outdoors I feel most connected with nature. I must be an old soul as I am drawn to history and varied cultures and people. I find such experiences soul satisfying,” confesses the designer who is strongly inspired by the Mughal Rajput culture of Rajasthan. “Those motifs, jallis and those stunning palaces all tell a story. There is so much colour in Rajasthan,” says the artiste with a keen eye for detail. “But my next collection is inspired by Ladakh, it is so colourful,” she gushes.
Her travels have not just exposed her to the finest international talents but have taught her to be appreciative too. “I admire designers like Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani. I also admire Baroque,” says Farah, who finds beauty in the quaintest of places. Strolling through the streets of a small town in Italy, she chanced upon a pair of earrings handcrafted with carriages by a young designer. “I loved them so much that I bought them instantly. I posted those pictures because I believe it is important to promote talent. The designer got a lot of requests and was very happy,” she adds.
She narrates another instance of being influenced by a guest at her exhibition in Coimbatore. “There was this lady who wore a fascinating nose pin. I was so intrigued by the design that I have decided to create a line of nose pins. She was simple but had a distinct sense of style,” she recollects.
Farah may travel the world but her heart lies in Mumbai where her husband DJ Aqeel and her kids Fiza and Azaan live. Given her family background in movies, her husband’s interest in DJing and her own career in design, have her kids gravitated towards any of those fields? “Right now they are too young. My daughter wanted to be a jewellery designer, now she wants to be a lawyer. My son was interested in DJing, now he wants to be a film director. I believe that they should give their best to whatever they choose to do.”