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Glittering display

SINGAPORE — Walk into jewellery store Arizma at Parkway Parade, and one is presented with a shimmering display of vast geography. Tibetan-influenced creations sit comfortably beside a collection from southern India inspired by Hindu gods and goddesses.

SINGAPORE — Walk into jewellery store Arizma at Parkway Parade, and one is presented with a shimmering display of vast geography. Tibetan-influenced creations sit comfortably beside a collection from southern India inspired by Hindu gods and goddesses.

Started by the family behind The Jewel Box — a 20-year-old private jeweller that provides customised creations for an affluent clientele — Arizma aims to bring unique pieces from around the world to Singapore.

Running the six-month-old retail outlet is Mrs Sangeeta More, 46, and her daughter Nikita, 23. The well-travelled duo scour the earth to fill their display cases, presenting to their customers what they describe as “curated culture”.

After graduating from university in the United Kingdom two years ago, Nikita returned to Singapore wanting to try her hand at business.

Her parents, who had been considering expanding into retail for some time, decided that their daughter’s enthusiasm was the right spark for the venture to take off. “Growing up with the business and dealing with clients significantly influenced my decision, as I learnt that a consumer may not have a keen eye for design and quality. We wanted to create accessibility and share our expertise in hand-picking only the best from different places and curate different collections for them to see,” said Nikita.

While the young lady fuels the business with a streak of youthful creativity, her mother applies the brakes when she sees that things may not work out.

“We have an interdependent, open-minded relationship where she gives me the freedom to execute my ideas and express my fresh perspective, but guides me with her experience and expertise,” said Nikita.

On her part, Sangeeta has had to learn to shed her role as Mum the minute she steps into the store. “I’ve learnt to listen to her ideas even if I don’t agree with them. And also not to always look over her shoulder; it really annoyed her,” she said with a laugh.

Being new to retail, the mother-daughter team have found the learning curve steep. From dealing with contractors to installing point-of-sales systems, everything had to be learnt from scratch. The initial investment to get Arizma off the ground was close to S$300,000.

They are betting that as consumers here grow more sophisticated — as incomes rise and they become more informed through frequent travel — Arizma’s efforts to bring in more exotic jewellery will pay dividends.

Arizma works with both in-house designers as well as craftsmen they encounter on their travels. “People want to be leaders and not followers now. We are very selective about what we bring in and that is being appreciated,” said Sangeeta.

Opened in June, the store already has repeat customers, drawn to collections that are rotated every two to three months. Collections to be launched include an Oriental jade collection for Chinese New Year that is designed for more contemporary tastes. Prices range from a few hundred dollars for simple pieces to S$20,000 for elaborate diamond sets.

The partners are already thinking of expanding the brand’s footprint. But plans to open a second outlet will depend on whether they find the right location. Parkway Parade, with its mix of expatriates and locals, was a perfect fit for Arizma’s eclectic collections, explained Sangeeta.

“We would like a second one, but we are not a chain store and every outlet has to be different,” she said.

Nikita, meanwhile, has set her sights further afield and would like to see Arizma open a store abroad.

“We would first drive Arizma locally and then look at setting up overseas. We’re certainly open to any opportunities available, but (are) taking one step at a time,” she said.

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