Rosh Mahtani
For Rosh Mahtani, studying French and Italian literature introduced her to a 13th century poet who would soon change her life. Her encounter with Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy led to the launch of her eponymous brand Alighieri.
For the last 10 years, she’s designed dozens of handcrafted heirlooms, launched a homeware collection, and has been awarded an OBE by HM King Charles for Jewellery Design and Philanthropy.
You spent most of your childhood in Zambia. Do you think you’re still infuenced by that today?
'Definitely. I remember that it never rained much in Zambia, so when it did, it was very exciting. You could smell the rain on the hot ground, which is when my brother and I would run outside with our socks on, playing in the rain. Seven years ago, I created a collection that was called dancing in the storm, which was all about playing and dancing in the storm of life. So it really does impact and find its way into my work'.
The brand is inspired by Dante Alighieri’s poems.What was it about his story that connected with you?
'Alighieri writes about a man who was lost in the dark woods searching for light, heartbroken and unsure of the right way. Even though it was written in the 1300s, the feelings are still the same today, and I love that universality of the human condition'.
Starting a jewellery brand, do you think your academic background has benefited or worked against you?
‘It really benefitted me. When I started making in wax, I could really enjoy the practice as I didn’t know the rules. It felt really liberating. I think Alighieri wouldn’t really be where it is today if I did have formal training, because we do things that are so unconventional, and that is kind of our signature.’
Jewellery is often imbued with meaning, whether it’s a symbol of love or grief or a way to remember a significant moment or person. Is this something you think about while you’re designing?
Absolutely. For me it has to start with a feeling, and I’m very personal in the way I design. So If I’m feeling I need something in my life, whether it’d be strength and courage, or joy, I will be putting my feelings into that object. This is usually the part that takes a long time, because it requires a lot of self questioning, introspection, but once I find that, something just clicks and I go into a kind of flow state.
You photograph all of the Alighieri imagery yourself. How does your love for photography feed your design process? Are the creative processes similar?‘
I shoot everything through my old 35mm Pentax film camera and in some ways it’s very similar to making the jewellery, because you don’t know what the end product is going to be until you see it. It’s all about happy accidents. The most different part about it is that it feels more collaborative.’
You’ve been awarded an OBE this year. What was that like?
‘It’s been very surreal. I rarely open my mail which drives my mom mad. One time she came over, opened my mailbox and said: ‘Do you want to open this one, it’s from the King?’ and I was like: ‘What are you talking about?’ It’s been a bit of a whirlwind but it’s really special to be recognized for trying to give back.’
