All About Ornate Jewels From The Words Of Shelly Luthra: Founder of Ornate Jewels

Shelly Luthra is a successful woman entrepreneur who broke the stereotypes and climbed the stairs to success in the Business World. She is the founder of Ornate Jewels that deals with the finest silver jewelry.

Here is her life-changing story for you all:

• Please introduce yourself and other co-founders or partners (if any)?

  My name is Shelly Luthra, the Founder of Ornate Jewels

  

• Can you please say something about your company Ornate Jewels:

  Ornate is a vertically integrated company where we make our finest silver jewelry from the concept to the final product in-house, hence eliminating the middlemen and being able to give the best of designs and prices to our customers. We are totally focused and known for our wearable designs that are made keeping in mind the lifestyle and needs of the women on the go. I believe that jewelry has to be designed keeping the wearers comfort in mind. At ornate you will find that all our jewels are luxurious in looks but are totally affordable. This is our USP .We are known for our American Diamonds jewelry that looks like real diamonds but at the fraction of the price. We are women led team and we are by the women for the women hence we understand our customer the best .
  

• The Last thing you were involved before starting the Ornate jewels?
  

  I was working in America with a jewelry company and then I was a full time hands on Mom for 9 years before getting back to work.
  
  

• What are you truly passionate about?
  

  I am passionate about my work, I love the creativity it brings, about achievements and being able to live and run my dream. I love the fact that I am able to bring ornate to a level where people have started recognizing us. I am passionate about life and I am high on that.
  
  

• Can you say something about your childhood days and college journey?
  

  I am from Punjab and had a simple childhood as many of us. My college life was my routine.
  
  

• Why did you choose to enter this particular business? What motivated you?
  

  When I moved to America a couple of decades ago. Being from the small-town middle-class background I was in for a surprise. Jewelry buying has been a very big event in Indian families. The whole family kind of gets involved and there is a lot of excitement and planning and budgeting. Surprisingly in America, I saw that jewelry is an extension of a woman’s wardrobe and not investment that needs to be hoarded in lockers or worn occasionally. Every day women matched their outfits with jewelry be it for work or for social events, which were chic and yet at the same time affordable. What surprised me was that jewelry was sold in department stores and was affordable for all. One didn’t have to plan and save and wait for the day they could buy something to make themselves happy or a man had to really think twice before buying a precious jewel for the woman in her life. Presenting a piece of jewelry, which really didn’t burn a hole in your pocket, could mark every little occasion. Somewhere that thought has always been playing on my mind hence ornate jewels.When I started working for a jewelry company I realized that jewelry doesn’t have to expensive. It can be precious, trendy and at the same time affordable. I always to wanted to buy jewelry that looked like a million bucks but was affordable at the same time for me. That’s how ornate jewels were born in 2015. Silver is precious and still very affordable. It suits our budget and sense of fashion. This whole idea of creating fine jewelry, which looks and feels like the real deal was the always the driving force behind ornate. I wanted to give women the luxury of buying jewelry as and when they desire, to be able to match with their different outfits and at the same time don’t have to budget and plan .I like to call my jewelry as Affordable Luxury.
  
  

• What are the other Businesses you are involved in and your role in them?

  My main company is in Hongkong and I am the sole founder.
  
  

• About your company’s Funding/Investment details:
  

  We do it Our self.

• What are the problems and hurdles you faced in starting your Company?
  

  In India we are not as professional as the west. When I wanted to make the website I had to go to many software companies to find and settle on one, they also didn’t deliver what they promised. I have had my fair share of financial setbacks. I have lost time and money but that’s all part of the learning. People have taken advance money and never turned back. Its disheartening but one has to let go and look at the bigger picture .
  
  
  

• The view of your family and friends on your Startup/Company? Are they supportive?
  

  Yes, my family has been truly supportive and especially my mother who helps me in taking care of my 11 year old daughter and house. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have been able to devote my time to a growing business Play

• Describe the experience with your first customer?
  

  We had our first order from Pune itself and it was from a Man who bought a gift for his woman. It felt truly amazing and  I packed that order myself and was really happy.
  

• What are the key milestones for the next 6-12 months to be achieved?
  

  I plan to introduce Indian inspired jewelry collections as per our customer demands. We are also constantly making the user experience on the website better and better.
  
  

• What is your plan of action for the next 5 years to grow your business?
  

  We are already catering pan India and want to be established as a brand all over the country and we want to be known as household name when it comes to the best yet affordable jewelry.
  

• Every business has competitors, who are yours and how you set yourself different from them?
  

  All jewelers are our competitors but what sets us apart is our designs, which are totally wearable and can be worn daily. Our prices, as we are the only website that manufacturers and retails hence passing the savings to the customers. Our silver is pure and wont turn black hence giving the buyer total value for their money.
  
  

• How do you see online jewelry market in India in the next 3 years?
  This is a growing market and the future of shopping is ecommerce. People rather spend time with family and friends then going mall hopping and struggling with traffic and parking . The need for wearable affordable fashionable and quality silver jewelry is growing at 30% per annum Silver jewelry and silver accessories retail sales stood at 15,000 crore and expected to be Rs 45000 crore in next 5 years.
  
  
  
• What is your success mantra:
  Honesty and transparency to the customer, No false promises and commitments and don’t give up. Just keep on going until you reach your destination.
  
  
• Did you ever fail in life, if yes (where and how)?
  Yes of course failure is a big and important part of learning and there are days I still feel I am failing but then I get a hold of things and turn it around.
  
  
• What is that one piece of advice you would like to share with other Startups/Entrepreneurs?
  It’s a tough journey and sometimes it can be a lonely road too but we all have to keep on walking and not stop. There could be days where you would feel like giving it all up and its normal for all of us to feel like that but I feel that when we reach that point its better to take a short break gather your energies and  go on again.