With her band of craftsmen she creates fine jewellery
Jagani Krishnakumar
At 29, Jagani Krishnakumar has had over a decade of experience as a Business Strategist and is a qualified Finance professional but in July this year she said farewell to the corporate world to devote her time to being a fashion entrepreneur.
After finishing her secondary education at Asian International School, Jagani went on to attaining CIMA, CIM & MBA qualifications. Her interest in fashion especially in the designing component of it continued throughout working a 9-5 job. Her entrepreneurial drive saw her starting a clothing brand at the age of 16 and co-founding ‘AJ’ – a men’s accessories brand in 2013. Now her focus is a fine jewellery business, ‘Mansa’.
Realising that she was always wholly passionate about fashion, Jagani knew that it was something she wanted to pursue fully and needed her own freedom of time to do so. Mansa which she launched in January offers fine jewellery and certified gems, sterling silver plated jewellery and a limited collection of customizable designs.
“It took me some time to set that up because I wanted to access the international market as well and also because of COVID. I started realizing there’s a whole bunch of people who are affected by COVID, especially the craftsmen because of the expat community and tourists not coming in. I knew that whatever I ended up doing needed to have a philanthropic element to it so the fact that I could actually work with craftsmen and help them directly was like the icing on the cake,” Jagani shares.
Butterfly charm ring
From gem certifiers, craftsmen and different local suppliers, Mansa’s gemstones are mainly sourced from the Ratnapura and Balangoda areas with the occasional gems being brought down from Hong Kong and India. Ensuring customers get exactly what they want and enjoying placing their orders, Jagani says Mansa jewellery is made to last with every handmade piece created with love and care.
“ We provide a comfortable space for each customer to describe their perfect piece and their budget whilst giving expert advice, recommendations and walk-throughs of our jewellery making process. This way each customer is provided with multiple design and material options with varying price ranges to meet every aspect of their expectation,” Jagani explains.
Taking the example of an engagement ring, she says that not every engagement ring needs a diamond and has to break the bank. An affordable alternative where you can achieve the same design aspects and aesthetic is provided through options of different weights of precious metals, plating options and alternative gemstones.
Once a design is confirmed, the materials will be sourced and the handcrafting will begin with a piece of jewellery taking usually 5 to 10 working days to craft, possibly longer if the customer requires a specific rare gemstone. Although Jagani’s home is the operations base at the moment, she hopes to have a workshop in the near future where she can work alongside the craftsmen. Right now, she has a sprawling network of specialised craftsmen each working for her remotely.
Green tourmaline and white sapphire rings
Link chain earrings
“All these craftsmen have decades of experience in different types of jewellery making. It can even be the more South Indian, Kandyan themed jewellery or even something very chic and minimalist,” she says.
Asked what sets Mansa apart, Jagani confidently says that she wants people to be comfortable with the entire process and have the opportunity to discuss and be honest about what they really want and how much they are willing to spend.
“ I have come to realize that I love the designing process. From understanding what the customer wants to actually see it in the sketch and getting it crafted. It’s also just knowing that I’m a part of that customer’s life milestone or celebration. I don’t want to say I am a designer per se but a creator because I like listening to people’s opinions and bringing their ideas to life,” she says.
Check out mansa on Instagram – @shop.mansa, contact them through email – themansaboutique@gmail.com or visit their Etsy page on
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShopMansa