Kiran Aman: On jewellery and coffee table books

Meet the designer-publisher with sky high dreams and ambitions.

KARACHI:

One can never be bored in Kiran Aman’s presence. Dressed in a casual pair of blue jeans and a top, relaxing with her feet up on the couch in her cozy apartment in Clifton, she speaks to The Express Tribune about her journey.

The designer behind Kiran Fine Jewellery, and the publisher of Markings Publishing, the body behind the hugely popular Coke Studio coffee-table book. Kiran has taken two completely different paths, both of which she pursues with passion, and what appears to be valued pleasure.

Is her jewellery designing ability inherited, perhaps passed down from her nani or dadi? “It’s my own sense of style. It’s a cross between two different philosophies,” says Aman. There is a traditional side, and then there is a modern side to me too. My designs go with who I am — a bit traditional yet contemporary. You’ll never get to see snakes rings in my jewellery collections!”



Aman launched her label Kiran Fine Jewellery in 2003. “I do jewellery designs based on abstract concepts,” she says. The collections she has showcased so far include her debut collection The Light, with which she launched her label in 2003, working with black and white diamonds. In 2005, it was Bold is Beautiful—Size Matters, where she showcased statement pieces including large earrings and cocktail rings. Her 2006 collection, 070806 was completely inspired by Rumi and calligraphic motifs.

A major turning point came when she was looking to get a book published. “I wanted to publish Revived — The Journey Within, and every publisher I went up to wasn’t interested in a creative coffee-table book,” says Aman. Revived is a book which depicts women showcasing their inner state through the motifs they select for their jewellery.

“That’s when I felt I needed to document all the musicians, artists, chefs; everyone who needed to be put away in history, for I believe that a country that documents itself and its people never dies.” Revived finally made it to print in 2008.

By 2010, she had opened up Markings Publishing, focused on bringing forward books on creative interests. “I publish work under the category of art and culture,” says Aman, “I am primarily a visual photography book publisher, but there are also book on music and the culinary arts, I don’t do fiction.”

When asked how she juggles designing and publishing, Aman says, “It comes naturally to me. With jewellery creations, I am not time-bound, I bring out a collection once I am inspired. I am passionate about my jewellery designs, but I don’t see a greater purpose in it.”

“However, documenting Pakistani talent as a publisher leaves me with a sense of giving back. I feel like I’m working on something which will remain, and will leave behind footprints in the sands of times!”

Despite being motivated by such a strong conviction, publishing is not an easy field to traverse, a reality that Aman knows all too well. “In publishing, you keep investing. You print 3,000 copies of a coffee-table book, but sadly if there are no buyers, merely 300 books out of so many are sold.” She hopes to eventually sell her books on Amazon.com, so that Pakistanis living abroad can also have access to them.

Most recently, Deliciously Yours, a cookbook Markings published in 2013, has successfully competed in the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, under the categories of Best Chocolate Cookbook, Best Pastry Sweets Cookbook and Best First Cookbook in Pakistan. This title will allow the book to compete against winners from other countries in the same categories, for the coveted Best in the World title.

“We won as the independent publisher. The awards ceremony is supposed to take place in China, on 21st May and I look forward to visiting China this season.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2014.

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