We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Kajal Naina Sherchan Rai ("KNSR").

Kajal Naina creates one-of-a-kind collections and bespoke items of jewellery for clients around the world. After working as a dentist for ten years, Kajal went on to obtain professional degrees in jewellery design and fashion jewellery, became a graduate pearl specialist, and received numerous certifications in metalsmithing, metal clay, and jewellery making. A philanthropist, author and expert on gemstones and jewellery, Kajal holds free educational workshops that educate people on important matters related to jewellery in her hometown of Nepal when she is there. Having three daughters, Kajal deeply values education for young children and donates to the “Shubhadra Madan Foundation”, a children's education and empowerment initiative in Nepal." She was born and raised in Nepal, and has since spent time living in India, Singapore, Japan and now lives in Hong Kong with her husband and 2 daughters.

Kajal Naina Sherchan Rai Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Kajal Naina Sherchan Rai.

Designer Interview of Kajal Naina Sherchan Rai:

DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

KNSR : I have always been an artist at heart. Ever since I was a child I excelled in anything requiring arts and crafts. But I was a very good student and decided to become a dentist. After 10 years of working as a dentist I finally quit and followed my passion. No I never thought I would be a jewelry designer as it was not an option when I was growing up. And I don't come with a family background in the jewelry business. But my love for arts and design eventually led me here.

DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

KNSR : I established my company as a means of an outlet for my creative expression. I truly believe that I can bring works of art into people’s lives. Through my creations I want to make a woman feel beautiful and proud and help boost her confidence.

DI: What is "design" for you?

KNSR : Design is not just a fancy shape or form. It is an expression of myself, my ideals and my beliefs. For me, designing is not only making available big or small pieces of beautiful jewelry but also connecting to the wearer.-Showing their hopes and dreams- Giving them the pieces to fit their life stories.- Make them feel loved and special- And in many special cases hopefully leave them with a piece that can be treasured for generations to come.

DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?

KNSR : I thrive when challenged, so whenever presented with an opportunity to design something totally new to me it really gets me excited. I also spend a lot of time researching on the subject whatever it might be and by the time I sit down to design the piece usually I already have something in my mind waiting to be drawn and created.

DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

KNSR : There is not 1 favorite design as such. Amongst my works, I have really enjoyed the challenge of creating the rhododendron flower. I fell in love with this flower during a road trip to the mountains a year back when I saw it for the first time blooming wildly. Since then I have made various versions of it. It is the national flower of my country Nepal. It's funny that I had heard a lot about it but I never seen it in real until a year back. Another reason why it attracted me so. Anyway, the whole mountains look lovely during the bloom seasons and I was mesmerized.

DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?

KNSR : The first thing I designed was a ruby, diamond and pearl earring.

DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

KNSR : I love working with gold. I started off with traditional hand designing and CAD. Most of my creations have been created by 3D printing of the resin and casting. But these days I am also doing some very artistic designs by wax carving, making a mould and casting. While training as a dentist I have done a lot of carving of tooth on wax, working with inlay waxes and also casting of metals. So the techniques in jewelry making was not completely new to me. Whenever I have the time I wish to learn wax carving for jewelry as well. Even the instruments used in jewelry making are not so different from the ones I used as a dentist!

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

KNSR : There is no definite time.

DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

KNSR : Beauty, creativity, wearability. It has to be a work of art which looks beautiful and also has to be very easy to wear.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

KNSR : I usually sit down to design whenever I feel inspired. The inspiration can be from anything and usually it is always something from life. So when I am able to design the idea into a jewelry piece I feel very happy and content and also excited to go on to the next step when the design is ready to be made.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

KNSR : Usually very happy to finally see the design come into existence.

DI: What makes a design successful?

KNSR : When it comes out just like imagined or even better. When other people love and appreciate it!

DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

KNSR : Aesthetics. Because first it has to look good.

DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

KNSR : As an artist, I think we play a very important role in society. We are able to express our ideas, thoughts and values through our creations and the message we give put can really influence people. So, we should be conscious of what message we are giving by our actions, words and our art. Example, if we are using ethically sourced materials, if we are trying to work on environmental friendly ways etc. Every small bit helps.

DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

KNSR : Before, jewelry designing tools was all hand done in paper. Now a lot of designers work in CAD because once mastered, this medium can give very accurate designs and one is immediately able to visualize how the final product will look.

DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

KNSR : I take a lot of inspiration from nature and I love flowers.I love traveling to different countries and observing what makes that land so special, the people of that place and the traditions they hold dear. I realize I have been picking inspirations from everywhere.

DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

KNSR : Looking at my creations so far, I think I am more drawn to organic shapes and styles. I also paint as a hobby and enjoying painting nature, flowers and portraits of people. As a jewelry designer also I feel most happy to create beautiful, expressive jewellery pieces which tell stories about elements of nature, the people and places I love. When something touches my heart I yearn to give my feelings a physical form. When I work on bespoke pieces also I have to approach it in the same way... I need to give my creations a story. So I talk to the client at lengths to find out what is her story, what makes her want to make this piece so that I can highlight that and design a special, meaningful piece for her.

DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

KNSR : I'm originally from Nepal and I was brought up in Nepal and India. Since then I have lived in Tokyo, Singapore and currently I am living in Hongkong with my husband and two children. Naturally, I do have a very strong influence from my Nepalese culture and background and it is visible in my designs too. But I think having lived in different countries and a lot of traveling has taught me to appreciate and take the best from across cultures and have widened my eyes as a designer. That has freed me from the confinement of being chained to any particular tradition or style based on a single country.

DI: How do you work with companies?

KNSR : So far I have only designed for my company.

DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

KNSR : Firstly, designing should come from the heart. Different people have different styles and I think that as a designer one must stay true to one's heart and design what you truly like. I would say when one tries to imitate other peoples styles because it is popular or for whatever reasons, then you stop being creative and you lose your voice.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

KNSR : Creativity, Empathy and Resilience.

DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

KNSR : That is something I am still working on.

DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

KNSR : It depends from piece to piece. Sometimes its a one day process... sometimes I design something and over time modify it until I feel it is ready to be made.

DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

KNSR : "How do you come up with your designs?"

DI: What was your most important job experience?

KNSR : I think all the experiences big and small has stacked up to help me become who I am today. But I feel I am just getting started and my most important job is yet to come.

DI: Who are some of your clients?

KNSR : So far it's mostly everyday people who are still very special.

DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

KNSR : I would say the same answer as question 4. I thrive when challenged, so whenever presented with an opportunity to design something totally new to me it really gets me excited. I also spend a lot of time researching on the subject whatever it might be and by the time I sit down to design the piece usually I already have something in my mind waiting to be drawn and created.

DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?

KNSR : I hope to open up a jewelry boutique in near future.

DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

KNSR : Right now it's just me.

DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

KNSR : Ah yes! I am very excited about this piece that I have been commissioned to make. It's a head jewelry based on traditional customs of Nepal so not something one gets a chance to make everyday. I did a lot of research to find out the relevance of it, the traditional design processes etc. to decide how I can best translate it out for my client so it feels very much in tune with todays world. And I have come up with a meaningful and pretty design which has all the relevant details but with a modern look. It is int he production stage right now so can't wait to see it.

DI: How can people contact you?

KNSR : My email kajal@kajalnaina.com