Smriti Choudhary Brand Director, Cocoon Fine Rugs Smriti Choudhary, the Brand Director at Cocoon Fine Rugs, has been instrumental in helping the premier carpet brand gain recognition globally. She joined the team in 2018—prior to which she worked with a leading fashion house in Mumbai as the Head of Marketing and PR for over two years. Previously, she pursued a Masters in Marketing from the University of Nottingham, UK. When the opportunity to join Cocoon Fine Rugs came her way, she decided to take it on. The brand was already on its growth path and she knew she could play a significant role in taking it to the next level. The brand today is recognised for its sophisticated, modern designs and unique interpretation of classic Persian rugs produced using only the finest raw materials. Cocoon Fine Rugs has flagship galleries in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur and Kolkata. Besides their in-house collections, the brand also collaborates with leading interior designers and fashion houses like Ashiesh Shah, Studio PKA, Falguni Shane Peacock and JJ Valaya, among others Choudhary leads a young and dynamic team, playing an important role in the day-to-day operations of the brand, collaborations, events and outreach among interior designers and architects, and also the digital strategy. What’s her secret to maintaining a work-life balance? “To me, it means that even after a long working day, I get to come back home with a smile and not feel tired. Of course, it’s also about being able to allocate time for family and friends.” “LuxeBook is the perfect guide to what’s new in all things luxury, as it offers great insights into premium lifestyles and trends.” Sonali Shah Sheth Founder-Director of SOHNAA, Jewelsprings Design Centre and Sphere Jewellery Sonali Shah Sheth’s name has been synonymous with excellence in design for more than 25 years, since she won the De Beers award in 1998—considered to be an Oscar in the field of jewellery. The former Head of Design at Reliance Jewels has a rare combination of skills and expertise that make her a cut above the rest. She is a design and manufacturing topper from SNDT Mumbai, a gemologist and CAD/CAM graduate from GIAUSA, and a luxury professional with a certification from the prestigious IIM Ahmedabad. Sheth’s collections under her company Sphere, have been featured in many national and international magazines and continue to be white label retailed through some of the topmost retail jewellers in the country. She has also been running her institute, Jewelsprings Design Centre since 2003, with the sole aim of imparting quality education in this field. She likes to share her knowledge and experience through speaking engagements related to art, design and women upliftment in the field of jewellery. Sheth’s collections are inspired by the themes of love, nature, and cultural heritage and are beautifully crafted in stunning contemporary styles to empower the wearer with confidence and grace. Jewels designed by her are simple and bold, with a special attention to line, form and colour. It has been her lifelong dream to create a luxury brand from India that is coveted for its designs and ethos— SOHNAA is born out of that vision and mission. “Luxury is freedom of choice. Time is another luxury. In fact, life itself is the ultimate luxury to have.” | 54 | 55
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