Amrapali opens first store in Pakistan

Based out of Jaipur, India, Amrapali opens first store in Pakistan

LAHORE: There was a time when western jewellery craftsmen managed to create weighty brands while their subcontinental counterparts remained anonymous. However, there has been a paradigm shift, as several jewellery brands coming out of India are now being recognised around the globe and eventually flooding Pakistan’s market. From Outhouse to Prerto, we’ve witnessed a handful of brands from across the border appointing representatives in the country with trendy eclectic options at hand, usually gold plated. Amrapali Jewels, a brand whose legacy precedes it, chose to take a slightly different route setting up a permanent standalone store through their exclusive distributors, Khazana.

The store is located at Lahore’s Gulberg Galleria which opened its doors to the public this week. The store has been built in line with standardised Amrapali stores located worldwide which boast regal Rajasthani elements.

The couple behind Khazana, Mehreen Amin and Amin Khan, have been working tirelessly to get the store to Pakistan for the past three years. They first launched their Amrapali by Khazana lounge at PFDC L’oreal Paris Bridal Week earlier this year, creating the buzz they needed for the launch. “No Amrapali store can stock the entire range because it’s so vast, but we can always get it for you,” shares Amin. They also have the facility to video conference with the CEO of the company in India if a customer wishes to get jewellery customised.



The entrepreneurial duo has plans to restock the offerings every three weeks to keep pace with the growing demand. Amin sheds light on why Amrapali chose to set up a store in the metropolis unlike other Indian jewellery brands. “We don’t believe in exhibitions because there is no after sale service. We are here and we aren’t going anywhere.” In fact, Amrapali has plans on opening a store in Islamabad and then Karachi in the near future. “Another international collaboration is also on the cards,” states Amin, unwilling to share any names.



Its loyal clientele include royalty, corporate honchos and celebrities from across the globe, including Hollywood stars as well as many Bollywood starlets such as Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone and Nargis Fakhri.  With the price range falling between Rs2,500 and Rs300,000, Amrapali offers a versatile range that can be donned with western and eastern outfits. “Some of the pieces in the store took us a year and a half to source because they are one-off pieces,” shares Amin.  The store currently has gold and silver plated options but they plan to launch their fine jewelry line in the future.

Based out of Jaipur, Amrapali was founded in 1978 by Rajesh Ajmera and Rajiv Arora — two young graduates with a passion for ancient history and a vision for re-introducing long forgotten jewellery designs and manufacturing techniques to the world.



Amrapali’s demand in Pakistan is fuelled by the inaccessibility of visiting India. Besides the two countries sharing similar tastes, this is one of the reasons Indian brands like making their way into the country. To add to the list of Indian jewellery stores, Valliyan by Nitya Arora collaborated with Élan to showcase their jewellery items at FPW 2015. Following fashion week, Arora had an exhibition in Karachi and at Élan’s swanky store in Lahore. With unconventional pieces ranging from Rs4,000 to Rs20,000, the offerings were a success amongst the youngsters.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2015.

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