Farah Khan Ali, jeweller to the hottest international stars, talks about designing works of art, her love for Pakistani clothes and accessorizing Malala Yousafzai
Farah Khan Ali, Bollywood’s best-known jewellery designer, learned her trade two decades ago when she landed for a course in gemology at the GIA (USA), where she topped her class. There was no looking back. “My idea was to go to LA and party for six months, so I was shocked when I realized the course was no joke. It left me inquisitive, so I enrolled for GIA’s jewellery design course and ended up becoming the ‘Indian nerd’ instead of the party animal!”
Farah’s fine jewelry is as unique as her flamboyant personality. “My personality is an extension of my way of life. I believe in live and let live. My glass is always half full rather than half empty and I pay more attention to human relationships than material things. I would rather wear one or two pieces of jewellery than be decked up as a Christmas tree. I like wearing jewellery, not the other way around.”
Farah creates visions of a paradise, where butterflies and dragonflies bring good luck and roses have no thorns. She incorporates tigers, snakes and floral motives. Some of Farah’s personal favourites include 324-carat Colombian emerald-diamond pearl earrings, a beautifully crafted dragon bracelet to commemorate the Chinese year of the Dragon and parrot jhumkis in diamonds and pearls with rubies and sapphires – a hot seller.
Farah grew up surrounded by Bollywood glamour: father Sanjay Khan is a producer, director and actor and mother Zarine Khan a prominent interior designer, her younger sister Suzanne was formerly married to actor Hrithik Roshan and her brother Zayed Khan is a big screen heart-throb. Her uncles Feroz Khan and Akbar Khan were also actors, but her father always prioritised education instead of films for his girls.
Farah saw Bollywood as a way to bring the excitement and glamour of jewels to a much broader audience: people like Beyoncé, who sparkled in a Swarovski crystal-studded crown for the artwork of her new album ‘4’, as well as tennis ace Serena Williams, who has “fallen in love” with Farah’s jewellery. “The Bollywood connection only helped open doors initially; but it was my hard work that eventually made people come back. When I design jewellery, I don’t think of Bollywood but of common people, their lifestyles and their cultures. Celebrities only help show-case it.”
Stars from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Malaika Arora Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Sushmita Sen, Sonam Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandes to Peter Andre, Elizabeth Rohm and the late Joan Rivers — all have sparkled in her gems. However, Farah would love to see “Angelina Jolie, Queen Rania of Jordan and Malala wearing my jewellery because all these women are strong personalities who care enough for the world to make a difference. They don’t wear jewellery to define them, they define the jewellery they wear.”
Farah’s jewels are the icons of the red carpet, be it Filmfare, IIFA, the Oscars, the Emmys or the Golden Globe Awards.
Farah visited Pakistan a few years back and ended up cultivating some lasting friendships: “I was amazed with the warmth and the hospitality shown to me in Pakistan, I love the sense of style there and enjoy wearing Pakistani clothes. I have been wearing Libas and Shahla Chatoor and love the femininity and fall of the fabrics. Indian fashion is more colourful compared to Pakistani fashion, which is ornate in design. We have wonderful designers on both sides of the border. I love both Indian and Pakistani bridal wear. This year I plan to bring my exhibition to Pakistan as I have Pakistani clients across the world who buy from me whenever I have exhibitions in Dubai.”
Farah loves Instagram, which allows her to tell a story visually: “If I weren’t a jewellery designer I would have been a photographer. I want to connect with real people because in my world it is easy to get lost.”
An innate gemologist, Farah’s brand continues to set the standard for the ultimate in fine jewelry.
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