Leaders
Women empowerment’ has been a topic of intense discussion for years. When women become self-sufficient, it helps them overcome other challenges that they might face in life.
Designer and entrepreneur Tuhina Goyal, the founder of jewelry brand House of Tuhina, has created a unique organization that is committed to creating beautiful handcrafted jewelry, while also empowering women in and around Delhi NCR region. The Brand has provided employment to numerous women, by teaching them the art of hand weaving. These women today have not only become self-reliant but have also gained respect in society.
Tuhina believes that "you grow when people grow" Her innate desire to create new things and make people look beautiful drew her towards the art of jewelry making. Driven by the curiosity to see how people respond to her creations, she started out at a small scale in the basement of her house and selling them at local exhibitions. The designs were appreciated & well received.
A key aspect of the brand’s success has been its focus on keeping Indian art and culture alive. H.O.T consistently pushes to achieve unmatched quality through its products that are deep rooted in Indian history. She amalgamates timeless aesthetics with her new-age brand’s design philosophy and creates pieces that are eternally fashionable.
The Women Entrepreneur Magazine team got the opportunity to interview Tuhina where she spoke to us about her brand’s journey, design philosophy and the various achievements that H.O.T has gained under her leadership.
Introduce Us To The House Of Tuhina Brand. What Are Some Key Features About The Company That Make It Unique?
House of Tuhina is a one of a kind jewellery brand that amalgamates the past, present, and the future to render them timeless. We believe that the world is yet to fully discover the sheer brilliance of Indian designs, which is the inspiration behind all creations at H.O.T.
All products at House of Tuhina are 100 percent handmade. Right from the making of the raw materials, to weaving of jewellery, everything is done by hand. We have developed various techniques in-house, which are original to H.O.T. and taught them to women artisans, thereby equipping them with a skill for life.
Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table. What Motivated You To Establish A Company That Specialises In Different Handmade Designer Jewellery For Women?
I completed my graduate degree in Textile Apparel Design from NID in 2010. My inherent love for jewellery made me foray into the world of accessories. I pursued a course in jewellery making at Central St. Martins, London in 2011, from where I also pursued a term course about how to start fashion business.
To gain industry experience I worked with world renowned Turkish designer, Gonul Paksoy. Working with her helped me learn the inherent beauty and natural attributes of raw materials.
I believe that the magic in creating something out of nothing is unexplainable. What looks obvious once created never looked achievable during the ideation stage. The only way to communicate and prove this is to make your own products, and that is exactly what I did through House of Tuhina.
What Are Some Unique Features Of The Designs Created By House Of Tuhina That Set The Brand Apart From Its Contemporaries In The Market?
One of my go-to design strategies is to create something out of a very basic raw material, something which have been seen way too many times before, but in different light. The distinctive nature is preserved in its natural form and fashioned into designs that are timeless. The pieces showcase excellence, achieved through dedicated time & efforts in hand work. Each art piece is an exclusive creation and carefully crafted by master artisan using moulding engraving, enamelling etc. techniques.
“We follow the traditional practice of making hand moulded units in kilns, to dying cotton yarn & then using originally developed hand weaving techniques to create various designs”
We follow the traditional practice of making hand moulded units in kilns, to dying cotton yarn & then using originally developed hand weaving techniques to create various designs. This has helped us retain old and traditional artistic craftsmanship which in turn preserves the Indian heritage. Our approach also provides employment to several unemployed artisans while carry up outcampaigns for ‘Make in India’ & ‘Aatmanirbhar’ causes on a wide scale.
Tell Us About Some Of The Most Pressing Challenges That Face In Terms Of Leading House Of Tuhina. What Have Been The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved So Far In Your Professional Journey?
In the initial days of building our brand, we needed to train new and unskilled people. These people came on board with open mind, and were ready to learn.
In the current scenario, it is a challenge to maintain the quality of raw materials due to the product’s handmade nature. It is also challenging to push our artisans to deliver high end products with absolute brilliance and neatness in their hand work, thereby maintaining consistency and quality.
Despite the challenges, the journey has been very rewarding. One of the most significant milestones for me was our first show at the export fair. That was the first time we realized that handmade products created out of basic Indian raw materials by local artisans could be universally loved and admired. Not only was it encouraging but it was also eye opening about the power, richness and culture India poses through its history.
What Is Your Guiding Leadership Philosophy As An Entrepreneur? As A Successful Entrepreneur What Would Your Advice Be To Young Women And Girls Aspiring To Become Business Leaders And Entrepreneurs In The Future?
I believe a leader’s biggest quality is to take responsibility of one’s actions. If success is yours, then the failure is also yours. So embrace it and don’t put it on others.
My foremost advice to young women is to never be afraid of hard work.
“We believe that the world is yet to fully discover the sheer brilliance of Indian designs, which is the inspiration behind all creations at H.O.T”
As women you must stop cushioning or limiting yourself by thinking that it’s a male dominated industry/world/society. The world can be what you want it to be. It is after all, a reflection of your thoughts. Always believe that you can achieve anything and everything.
Awards of Recognitions won by Tuhina Goyal& House of Tuhina over the years:
• Tuhina Goyal was felicitated on International Women’s Day by Honourable Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman (Finance Minister of India) as Leading Women Entrepreneur.
• Felicitated as Young Women Entrepreneur Award by Honourable MP and Princess of Jaipur Diya Kumari Ji amongst top 6 Leading Entrepreneur in India in field of Jewellery Design.
• Showcased in Amazon India Fashion Week in collaboration with designer Tanvi Kedia (2015).
• Showcased in Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with Craftmark (2017).
• Showcased in Delhi Times Fashion Week in collaboration with designer Poonam Bhagat (2018).
• Showcased in Lotus India Fashion Week in collaboration with designer Nidhika Shekhrar (2019) with showstopper Neha Dhupia.
