A Chapter from The Book of my life
2025 - The year of the RED

As the year draws to a close, a familiar feeling of introspection washes over me, prompting a deep dive into the how and why of life.

I wonder what sets apart the old from the new year. Why does the transition from December 31st to January 1st feel so profoundly significant?

The immediate answer that comes to my mind is the hope of a RE: 365 glorious days to REstart, REbuild and REdo.

This year marked a significant shift - After several failed attempts at staging a return, I finally felt ready for my second act. At forty-two, navigating life with a toddler and a failed marriage, I embarked on the adventure of piecing together the scattered parts of my personal and my professional life—a jigsaw puzzle coming together - one missing piece at a time.

My passion project, which evolved into an entrepreneurial venture - NIMAI, was born from my deep love for jewelry, a sharp eye for design and years of experience as a luxury brand consultant. What began as a dream in 2013 grew into a platform that empowers and champions the work of over 300 Indie jewelry artists from India.

Globally, NIMAI earned recognition as India’s first jewelry makers collective, but for me, it represented something far more profound: my creative awakening. NIMAI became the place where I truly discovered my voice, my calling and my passion.

I nurtured NIMAI as my "firstborn" and successfully scaled the brand from 2013 to 2018 before we faced a near-collapse. This challenging period coincided with the arrival of my son, Nitai. While motherhood felt natural, my marriage painfully dissolved. I experienced the ultimate duality of life — intense love and profound abandonment — all at once. Slowly, I started to retreat into my shell and my incredible team stepped up to keep the business operational. Soon after, 2020 arrived and the pandemic overshadowed everything.

NIMAI survived it all, bouncing back gradually and steadily. However, our community began to sense that something was amiss. We still boasted the finest curation of jewelry, the best designers and had moved to a new flagship location in Khan Market, yet more and more members of our tribe felt that the "soul" was absent. This realization was the catalyst that REfueled me to find my footing again.

From 2020 to 2024, NIMAI was driven by a lean but mighty team of three.

Our Original Team

  • Gagan (Operations Director): The backbone of NIMAI and one of our longest-standing employees. He's more like a younger brother than a colleague.

  • Aarti (Retail Head): The warm, smiling face who greets every visitor to our flagship store.

  • Sonam (Experience Head): A close friend and confidant.

These three shouldered the responsibility of keeping the business vital while I was missing in action. By 2024, I was ready to rebuild and grow our team.

The Re build - New Faces & Collaborations

  • Revamped Brand - Shruti Singhi (Mother Tongue Design): My fabulous friend and a kickass branding design specialist, who introduced RED as the colour of our RE-birth. She and Rhea, her colleague  set the tone for our bold new brand identity and our strong packaging and visuals

  • Revamped Retail store experience - Asmita and Rahul (Slot Design studio): They brought my retail vision to life. Amidst the "happy chaos" of 3D renders, contractors, deadlines, and a mutual love for food and black coffee, they have become two of my closest friends. Friends with whom I promise to build more—spaces, stories, and memories

  • Brand new website - Arnav Agrawal (Embed Design Studio) - My BHX buddy, first zoom meeting and I knew I had found our ecom ninja - He added magic and tech into our bland e-commerce experience and now is an integral part of our team!

The New Team: NIMAI Voice 

  • Ankita (Marketing and Community Head): Introduced by my bestie, Deepti Karam Thakur. She had just returned from Goa, looking for a fresh start and I was looking to rebuild. From our very first meeting, I knew I had found the mad to my madness, the spark to my fire and the zeal to my creative passion

  • Karishma (Content and Curation Head): I had known her since her student days at Pearl Academy, often seeing her browse at our first retail store. She was as jewelry-obsessed as I was and when news of NIMAI 2.0 began circulating, she was the first to reach out. It was an instant "yes."

  • Ishita (Graphic Designer): Our paths crossed at the gym. She approached me, reminding me that she had once interviewed me for her final year college submission (gosh, I felt old!). I was looking for a designer, so imagine my sheer delight  when I learnt she was a graphic designer looking for a switch. I "lured her with coffee and cake" and the rest is history!

The Return: Bringing Back Our OGs

To complete the team, we welcomed back two NIMAI veterans:

  • Ashok ji (Accounts Head): Our resident pujari and NIMAI's oldest employee. He had moved back home, but happily obliged when I invited him to return.

  • Sameer dada (Resident Karigar): Our craftsman since day one, who also rejoined the team.

With the team complete, we were ready to roll and this is how our story started again!

 

2025 recap

2025 marked a powerful return for NIMAI, built on a solid foundation and characterized by distinguished launches and compelling storytelling.

Highlight Launches & Storytelling:

  • 'Know Thy Maker': A deep dive into the minds and processes of the creators behind India's premier contemporary jewelry brands.

  • Surmeyi's Dawn/Dusk Launch: An India-exclusive unveiling of silver-infused glass bangles, emphasizing Surmeyi’s core essence and NIMAI’s enduring commitment to showcasing India’s culture and craft with a contemporary sensibility.

The Cultural Pillars:

  • The Gallerie (NIMAI 2.0): Established as the cultural heart of NIMAI 2.0, this rotating gallery celebrated makers from diverse disciplines who honor India's craft narratives. It offered a curated elevation of craft and design, featuring Made-in-India objects designed to spark conversation.

A Grand Finale: MODERN MELA

  • Before the year's close, NIMAI 2.0 celebrated its community, craft, and culture with MODERN MELA, in collaboration with Yam. This event merged purpose and play, recreating the simple joy of childhood camaraderie.

  • The MELA’s centerpiece was an exhibit, "NEW VOICES OF JEWELRY in INDIA," which showcased the boldly unique, conceptual, and design-forward work of India’s youngest artists. This exhibit was a testament to the trust shown by both designers and the community.

Looking Back: A Revolution in Progress

Reflecting on 2025, the NIMAI team didn't just re-launch a brand—we re-ignited it. Every detail, from the electric energy of our retail outposts (Khan Market, New Delhi, and Kala Ghoda, Mumbai) to the seamless experience of our revamped website (www.SHOPNIMAI.in), affirmed our mission to redefine adornment.

The true transformation occurred behind the scenes. By dreaming bigger and risking bolder, we translated "what if" into "watch this." The result is a year that feels less like a mere recap and more like a REVOLUTION in progress.

As we conclude 2025, we are immensely proud of our achievements and thrilled for what lies ahead.


Here's to more sparkle, more magic, and even more RED in 2026!