Since times immemorial, the delicately petalled rose has been a symbol that has evoked countless sensations and emotions in life, literature, art and culture. A Rose has different hues and expressions. No wonder then that Rose is the chosen name for a brand that was blueprinted by Biren Vaidya, MD, The Rose Group.

A result of sheer obsession, its remarkable designs cater to an elite clientele both in India and overseas. So, exotic and rare, Rose is a personal statement of class and beauty, acquired only by a privileged few. With a heritage of over 30 years, the brand Rose stands for the true essence of luxury possession that signifies status, power and royalty. Touching the hearts of its patrons, it inspires a pride of possession.

This Rose is sparkling, precious, beautiful…and truly immortal! It has been nurtured by the creative vision and guidance of Biren Vaidya who has scripted its success story. In his own words....

On the romance of the Rose...
The significance of the name
“It symbolises love, power, beauty, passion and also strength. A rose, traditionally has been – and can be – used to signify many things. It is not just an expression of love, but it also signifies compassion. Therefore, if I had to put all the wonderful emotions I experience in one word, it would be rose. And, the rose also epitomises complete perfection.”

On the power of the muse...
The woman who fired his imagination
“Sheetal, my wife, has been my inspiration since the day I first set eyes on her – she was 17 then and I was 19 – and she continues to empower me in my personal and professional life.

She has certain characteristics that have kept the passion alive inside me. She’s completely pure; and has a child-like innocence that, even with the passage of years, has prevailed. So, though her face might have a lot of maturity of life and experience, her honest approach shines through.

With time, love changes – passion becomes caring, responsibility becomes concern as your relationship develops and deepens. I play an important part in the different aspects of her life and I am lucky that she has let me spoil her.”

On the power of being Indian....
The pride of a nationalist
“It may sound like a cliché but my country means a lot to me. I have a tremendous amount of pride in being Indian. And I always dreamt that one day I would have a luxury brand that would be of an international standing – a brand which would not just match the global ones but surpass and outclass them. As children, when we went abroad, we saw that Indians were not looked upon seriously despite the fact that many people from our country were global achievers. The general notion then was we in India always aped the West. And thus started a dream: to do something which would be Indian but of international repute.

As a country, we have a rich heritage of culture, creativity and art. Jewellery, which to me is also an art form, has always been a significant part of the Indian family and culture and has always been considered as an investment.

To create a legacy in our field has been a cherished goal for me. People have many reasons why they have a vision or a mission in life – this dream of mine has always been my mission and that’s why I just went after it. My passion has been for designing, and because of my creative drive, I could let my dream evolve into what it is today.”

On the power of luxury...
The flavour of the experiences of life
“I believe that luxury is not only about a product or a design; it’s also about great experiences – it’s all about life, your lifestyle. And you can only sense your experience through the five senses that the Almighty has given us. The five experiences – what you see, what you smell, what you hear, what you taste and what you touch – provide you the experience of luxury. If all the senses are not in sync with each other, you cannot feel the experience of luxury. So it is when the five senses are together in a package that you get the true feeling of luxury. I honestly believe that the chairman of my company is the Almighty. I just follow his path and use the many tools that he has given me.”

On the power of personalised experiences...
The exclusivity of the Rose Salon
“From my early designing days, I always dreamt of creating a symbol that was exclusive and a sign of status. Our patrons – the New Age maharajas and maharanis – hail from the top Indian families. They are accustomed to being served in their kingdom or domain – whatever the possessions, be it cars, collectibles, haute outfits, jewellery or any other indulgences.

The dream was to create an experiential space which would provide these new royals a destination where they could indulge in discretion. So, in sync with their tastes and lifestyle, a space for personalised selling was conjured. Thus was born the Rose Salon in 2004, a symbol, which is the perfect setting to savour an experience called Rose. It is a space that is perfect for the fulfillment of the five senses – providing the experience for distinguishing luxury from the ordinary.”

On the power of his vision...
The way people perceive the brand
“The world has changed, India has moved on. But at Rose we still believe in the traditional form of jewellery making, which is considered to be an art form in itself. Hence, each Rose design is still painstakingly hand-crafted.

It bears the influence of many factors – my travels and experiences, for one. Over the years, it has evolved. It is not completely traditional or completely contemporary. It’s a fusion of cultures and design elements. If someone asks me how I design, define taste or how do I position Rose as a luxury brand, my answer is clear: design comes with work, time and experience. It is enhanced by my struggles and emotions that infuse my design sensibility and that is how we have created the whole experience of luxury. The differentiating factor in Rose is that we love it, live it and therefore we create it! Right from my childhood I have loved great experiences. My family thought that I was a little extravagant because I did things differently and my way was the glamorous way.”

On the power of his designs...
Three iconic pieces
“It is very difficult to pick and choose just a few because all my designs are close to my heart. The first product that I made when gold control had been abolished was a choker that turns into a bracelet, or you could also look at it as a bracelet that turns into a choker. The first one that came out was naturally for Sheetal. I really loved the piece and I remember telling my sister Purnima Sheth that I would make one piece every day. I used to do wholesale at that time and I felt that this design would do well. My sister thought that I was joking because the piece takes a long time to make. But in the end I was right.

Besides the Empress, there are other pieces that have been iconic. Actually, the whole journey is special; each collection has its unique place in my past – the ‘Shiv Parvati’ collection and the ‘Dance with Me’ collection. For the latter, I designed nine sub collections for every dance form.

As far as individual pieces go, the Pillar and the Maharaja Ring hold a special place in our offerings. The ruby that was the core of the latter mesmerised me. The supplier had quoted an expensive price and he told me that there was one person who would buy it at that price. I wondered who would pay him that price…and it turned out that eventually I did. That is the beauty of the business – it is not just about numbers but is all about stories and incidences that make it so touching.”

On the power of fusion
Blending in and being unique
“I first went to London when I was a child. What I loved about that city was the fact that it was a melting point of so many cultures. Since metaphorically the sun never set on the British Empire, it let in so many people and influences that blended in perfectly. So today, if you really see there are so many people from so many parts of the world who call London their ‘home’ – they maintain their cultures and blend into the British world. This has fascinated me from the age of 13, and prompted me to read and learn about different cultures around the world. So, when I finally started designing I knew that the beauty of it all was to maintain a synergy between the traditional and the modern. What started in my jewellery has come into fashion. It is also practical because Indian women wear both traditional and modern and want jewellery to go with all styles.”

On the power of going global
Rose, the way ahead
“For me, it is very difficult to put this in a sentence for there is so much that I want to do for Rose. I truly want to see it as a global international luxury brand, not only in jewellery, but in many more categories. For me, Rose is all about the aspiration and the pride of possession. People who are patrons of Rose believe themselves to be a part of Rose. To nurture that feeling is important for me for quite often as brands expand they tend to lose that sense of belonging.”

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