PEAKLIFE

A heritage has driven brand, House of Badnore is the newest addition to the landscape of indigenous luxury that reflects the gracious history of regal design.

A congregation of utterly beautiful collectibles inspired by the era of the Raj, House of Badnore reflects the cordon bleu taste of its founder Archana Kumari Singh.

She is not just to a legacy born but also carries with her an experience of bringing brands with history alive.

PeakLife in an exclusive conversation with Archana Kumari Singh

Talk to us about yourself and your journey with Frazer and Haws?

I started my professional life as a writer and after a stint of freelance in print and the electronic media I went on to edit a niche jewellery publication, the Gems and Jewellery magazine of India. It was the first-ever Indian consumer magazine on jewellery and hence very exciting. After seven very eventful years, I decided to switch career paths, radically and joined the British silversmiths Frazer and Haws who had forayed into the Indian market and set up retail and manufacturing.

And like all new and unfamiliar trajectory, Frazer and Haws too seemed like a challenging choice. I had opted for something I knew nothing about and had to unlearn all that I had learned earlier to begin anew. For fifteen years, each day at Frazer and Haws was of new learning for me, new tests and trials and new peaks to scale. Since I was spearheading all operations and micromanaging all layers of design, production, sales, marketing, and client interface, it was a continuous curve of sharpening my proficiency and acquiring new skill sets.

They say that everything in life prepares you for that which is yet to unfold. And that’s how it was with F&H as learning all nuances of luxury retail is the wealth that I carried forward to encash from when I set up my own enterprise.

What was the inspiration behind House of Badnore?

For me, my enterprise had to be an extension of myself and the products had to reflect the same essence too. So, came about the eponymous label, House of Badnore; Badnore being our ancestral place in Rajasthan. The choice of the name is an attempt to re-root to the land of our belonging.

HOB is a brand that has a plethora of accessories for men, women, and home, mostly inspired from the past but re-interpreted in a contemporary language. I do believe in the romance of the vintage but I also believe that it has to be reinvented with a modern makeover to fit in on the international platform. And that is what defines HOB, which follows a past-forward design ideology. We pick elements or motifs from the bygone days of the Raj and carry forward the narrative for the modern day prince, princesses, and their homes. We continue to add layers upon layers of products that can be used or worn in any part of the world.

How do you define the word ‘Style’ and does being a royal have any impact on your style decisions?

I do believe that Style is inherent. You cannot acquire it. Fashion is easy as anyone can follow it but the style is entirely individualistic. My style too is rooted in my past and upbringing. We grew up in a surround of beautiful architecture, interiors, clothes, and jewellery all of which have stayed in the memory to shape my choices in aesthetics.

I also believe style is genetic coding. You carry your own from your gene pool. Fortunately for me, mine is inherited from my mother and grandmother who carried their elegance effortlessly.

As an entrepreneur, how do you ensure that you’re understanding of gems and precious metals have a modern aesthetics?

There’s a saying “Past is a point of reference and not a point of residence.” This clearly resonates with my brand offering and me. There are so many people who are recreating vintage, which is fairly easy. But to reinvent vintage is a challenge. At House of Badnore, we prefer to reinvent constantly whether it is silver, gold, or gemstones in order to stay relevant in modern times.

What advice would u like to give to young people who wish to follow their passion?

The world belongs in its entirety to the young! They are privileged with choices and yet passion is often accompanied by recklessness and over confidence. I would advise them to learn the rules of caution and discipline before bending them.