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Journey
The allure of jewellery
In his late teens, Niraj, the maverick of the family, wanted to expand his horizon and add value to the family business by expanding into jewellery. He followed in his mothers footsteps, customizing jewellery for family and friends; meeting buyers, sourcing diamonds from his uncles, building a network of suppliers and putting pieces together using local karigars (craftsmen). Meanwhile, Dheeraj was learning the ropes of sales and marketing in international markets from Antwerp to Hong Kong.
One bedroom workshop
Within a few years both brothers, with support from their mother and uncles, decided to focus on manufacturing jewellery. They set up a small workshop in their home so they could control the process and ensure both quality and finish met their high standards. Dheeraj became the face of the business, meeting clients and marketing products. Niraj was the technical brain; sourcing, networking and defining the process. They hired 2 craftsmen and soon pulled in Anuj, then a teenager, to look after operations.
Joining the big leagues
The brothers moved operations into a commercial property, enabling them to hire more people, streamline processes and manufacture in bulk without compromising on quality. They were one of four manufacturers selected by De Beers to design and manufacture jewellery for the Nakshatra brand. Anuj went overseas for a few years to help his uncle set up a branch in New York and travelled and interned in America to learn about international standards for jewellery manufacturing operations.
Becoming the manufacturers’ manufacturer
Dheeraj traversed the country meeting buyers, both wholesale and retail. Niraj focused his technical expertise to convert design to reality. Anuj applied his operational experience and people skills to keep the factory running smoothly. Together the Menda brothers became jewellery manufacturers and suppliers for world renowned brands. Family connections helped open the doors that they knocked on. The finesse of their jewellery kept customers coming back for more.
Studio Revês – a dream becomes reality
With their jewellery gracing the displays of national and international brands, the brothers took a strategic decision to manufacture and retail customized jewellery under their own brand, Studio Revês, the studio of dreams. Dheeraj and Niraj began visiting international exhibitions to compare themselves with the world’s best and learn about the latest tools and skills needed to achieve those results. Anuj held fort in India, ensuring the manufacturing continued uninterrupted to meet the needs of their wholesale buyers.
Coming a full circle
Dheeraj envisioned showcasing Studio Revês’ jewellery alongside international luxury brands. Niraj reached out to a network of international suppliers to import the latest tools. He applied himself to learn new skills and retrain craftsmen so that the studio could produce fine jewellery alongside high quality jewellery for the wholesale market. Anuj implemented the changes and coaxed the best results from the team of designers and craftsmen. In 2018 Studio Revês won the International Couture Design Award and the Indian Jewellers Choice Award. The brothers had come a full circle; starting by learning about diamonds from their maternal uncles, to showcasing those very diamonds and winning awards for their own diamond jewellery.
