Nottingham Contemporary

Can you introduce yourself and describe your practice?

I am the founder of Anisha Parmar Studio, a multidisciplinary space for innovative design and creative exploration. Established in 2015, my journey began in product design, specialising in jewellery and accessories.

My work is deeply influenced by my British-South-Asian hybrid heritage. Through my creations, I explore themes of adornment, displacement, and decolonisation from a multicultural perspective. Community is the beating heart of my craft, and I use my work as a means to drive meaningful conversations that provoke thought and inspire change.

My journey began with a formal education in textiles and fashion artefacts, which naturally led me into the design industry. I gained invaluable experience working as a designer, but it wasn’t until I was made redundant that I found the push I needed to start my own brand.

The beginning was humble—I designed my first collection and set up a stall at Spitalfields Market. On that first day, I only sold one necklace for £20, but instead of feeling discouraged, I saw it as the start of something bigger. I kept returning to the market, slowly building my brand through persistence and a deep belief in my vision.

Over the last 10 years, I have expanded my expertise into various fields, including artistic direction, curation, education, and consultation. My studio collaborates with a diverse range of clients and organisations, both nationally and internationally, spanning brands, museums, galleries, universities, and heritage sites. Some of the clients I have worked with include The National Trust, Manchester Museums, Migration Museum, Derby Museum, Nottingham Trent University, Dishoom, Netflix, Warner Bros, and many more.

Have you always been creative? Do you remember your first creative endeavours?

Yes, I’ve always been drawn to creativity. As a little girl, I was constantly immersed in creative activities—painting, learning to stitch with my grandmother, and exploring everything related to colour and pattern. Dressing up was one of my favourite hobbies. I vividly remember the excitement of hearing my favourite Bollywood song on the TV and rushing upstairs to put on my Indian clothes and jewellery. I’d dance around the living room, completely absorbed in the joy of expression and transformation. These early experiences of play and imagination laid the foundation for my lifelong passion for creativity.

What drew you to the practice of jewellery design and making?

My work is deeply inspired by my upbringing in Wembley, with Ealing Road as the backdrop of my childhood. Growing up in an environment where British and Indian cultures naturally clashed and merged, I found a unique source of inspiration that has profoundly shaped my creative vision.

One of the most significant influences has been my connection to my grandmothers and their gold jewellery. Their collections served as an archive of inspiration for me, reflecting the rich material culture of heirlooms and their deep significance, especially within the diaspora. It was through their pieces that I discovered my love for jewellery, adornment, and the stories they carry.

Exploring adornment within the South Asian Diaspora is at the heart of my work. I am particularly fascinated by jewellery collected through journeys of migration, viewing these artefacts as carriers of emotions and memories. Gold, for example, has historically served as a woman’s security, and I explore this concept within both historical and contemporary diasporas. Adornment, in this context, becomes a powerful expression of cultural heritage.

After growing up and calling Wembley your home for many years, you made the move to our neighbouring city of Derby. How did this transition impact your business? Has the city and its community shaped or influenced your work?

Wembley will always be close to my heart, but moving to Derby was a big change, especially being a real north west London girl… At first, the transition was tough—I felt the absence of familiar faces and the energy of a big city. It was a real adjustment to find myself in a quieter, smaller place without my usual support network.

But as time went on, I started to build a new life here. I found solace in Derby’s slower pace and began to create connections within the local community. Finding my studio and becoming part of a new creative circle helped me feel more settled and inspired.

The shift has had a profound effect on my work and overall well-being. The slower pace and peaceful environment have allowed me to reflect deeply and reconnect with my purpose. I’ve had new opportunities arise, and I feel more grounded and focused in my creativity. Derby’s charm and the warmth of its people have helped me to thrive in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and I’m grateful for how this city has enriched my journey.

This Summer saw the realisation of ‘Adorned Narratives: Wearing Our Stories with Pride’, a collaborative pop-up weekend at the Lab E20 in East London. Can you tell me about the collaboration and how did the event go?

Adorned Narratives began with the seed of an idea, which grew into a mini festival in it’s own right as a collaboration with stylist Neelam Mistry-Thaker.

Over 3 beautiful days we guided our guests on a journey through the past, the present and the future. The string tying this all together: Adornment. As you know, we both work within creative disciplines and our natural connection and desire to create a community we had always longed for, was the driving force behind the pop up where we wanted to delve deeper into the power of adornment.

The biggest takeaway for me has been the coming together of community. This experience highlighted the importance of our roles as artists and creatives in curating safe spaces for our communities. By doing so, we allow the magic to unfold naturally. This was collaboration in its purest form, where visions—even dreams—were brought to life.

One aspect that struck me about your practice is your authentic, purposeful way of working. There’s a holistic approach running through your practice linking the many facets of your work. Is this something that came organically to you at the beginning or has this intentional approach developed and evolved over time?

Although I started off as a jewellery designer and maker, I soon realised that my work had a larger purpose. I began to see jewellery not just as an art form but as a powerful tool to unlock stories and histories, which became the golden thread weaving through my evolving practice.

The holistic and purposeful nature of my work has developed over time. Initially, my focus was on exploring my passion for design. However, as my journey progressed, I saw how my interests and experiences—such as curating exhibitions, lecturing, hosting workshops, and advising on cultural and diaspora heritage—became interconnected.

Anisha Parmar Studio now uses adornment as a means of empowerment, connection, and discovery. Through storytelling, I create exhibitions and community experiences that reveal personal narratives and delve into themes of reclamation, displacement, diaspora, and decolonisation. This intentional approach has naturally emerged as I’ve deepened my understanding of my work and its impact.

You’ve described adornment as "a gateway to connection”; an opportunity to explore cultural narratives, stories and history. Your Podcast Empowered Adornment captured some of these stories beautifully. Can you share the research focus of the podcast and highlight a story that particularly resonated with you?

I have always seen adornment as a tool of empowerment, a cultural marker and as body armour preparing you for life’s unpredictability. Through the podcast, I have been documenting stories of gold jewellery collected through South Asian journeys of migration as artefacts with the capacity to be carriers of emotions and memories; gold as a woman’s security within the context of historical and contemporary diasporas; and gold as adornment to express cultural heritage. We talk about how the meaning of these gold jewellery pieces have changed as they have travelled and been passed down through generations, from dowry, security and now adornments of great sentimental value. These pieces are more than visual beauty, they hold oral histories and stories of Indian partition, East African Asian migration, Sri Lankan Civil war.

Mathushaa tells me that when her mum left Sri Lanka due to the civil war, one of the few things she brought with her was her ID card. The gold pieces Mathushaa showed me were gifted to her when she was born in the UK after her family moved and are the only heirlooms in her family since they left their homeland with nothing. For her and her family, gold acts as the most important marker of new births in a safe land. Participant Aysha says, ‘jewellery is a major part of women, it empowered women because it was their one thing, it was their security.’ Another participant, Sofia, recalls desperately wanting a car when she was 18 years old and her dad saying, “well, you can’t wear a car!”. While Tanya speaks about how she feels close to her late mother and feels her energy in the pieces that were handed down, so she wears them every day. In every one of these conversations, the gold jewellery is merely the gateway to conversations of South Asian migration, resilience, success, heartbreak and history. These handcrafted pieces take on the material form of a family’s legacy and accumulate personal stories as they pass through their keepers—keepers which they choose.

Recently you’ve worked with Derby Museums and Nottingham Central Library, taking on curatorial, facilitator, collaborative and consultancy roles. How important is community-based collaboration and how does it inform, influence and impact your practice?

Supporting and celebrating underrepresented communities is at the core of what I do. My work is deeply rooted in my own experiences as a British-South-Asian woman, and I strive to use my platform to amplify voices that are often marginalised, and these roles play a crucial part of this.

Through my work, I aim to create pieces that resonate with people from diverse backgrounds, offering them a sense of visibility and representation. My designs often draw on cultural heritage, reinterpreting traditional motifs in a way that honours their origins while making them accessible and relevant to contemporary audiences.

In my recent work, I have partnered with museums and organisations to engage in projects focused on the decolonisation of objects and the bringing together of communities. These collaborations are crucial in re-examining and recontextualising cultural artefacts. Through this work, I aim to create safe spaces where dialogue and healing can occur, fostering a deeper understanding and connection with museums and diaspora communities.

I also focus on collaboration with artists, makers, and communities who are often overlooked in the mainstream. By working with underrepresented groups, I aim to bring their stories to the forefront and ensure that their contributions to culture and art are acknowledged and celebrated.

What is the future for Anisha Parmar Studio?

To do more project work centred around the decolonisation of objects in museums in the UK, working with diaspora communities and artists.

To continue making collections I love and grow a community through my jewellery brand.

To create safe spaces for communities to share their stories and celebrate their journeys through collaboration with other artists.

Can you share three creatives or small businesses you admire?

- The Museum of Material Memory is a digital repository of material culture of the Indian subcontinent, tracing family histories and social ethnography through heirlooms, collectibles and objects of antiquity.

- Kushiaania is a freelance illustrator creating colourful illustrations based on their Brit Asian background, incorporating a love of fashion and horror.

- YSM8 is a platform for community, founded by coach, creative facilitator, artist and speaker, Poonam.

Final and extra Question! How much fun is it to be on an Anisha Parmar Studio Photo Shoot? Is this visual creativity something you enjoy exploring and participating in?

I absolutely love putting together shoots for Anisha Parmar Studio! It’s one of my favourite parts of the creative process. Being in that space, curating the set, directing the art, and bringing together a team of talented creatives allows me to fully immerse myself in my element.

On an APS shoot, you can expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere—kindness and openness are at the heart of it. We make sure everyone is well-fed, play an amazing playlist, and create a vibe that’s all about positive energy and good times. It’s a truly uplifting experience, and the visual creativity is always a blast to explore and participate in.

Interview by Retail buyer Lucy Martin

Image and Video credit Ofilaye.

Craft Fair Jewellery Images by Jade Vowles