Zohra Rahman jewellery seems to be everywhere these days. This weekend the young Lahore-based designer brought her work to Karachi, via a pop-up shop in Generation at Clifton's Dolmen Mall. At the opening on Friday she'd displayed pieces from her 'Unsent Letters,' 'Moenjodaro' and 'Minima' collections. 'Unsent Letters' was a hit – earrings, necklaces and cuffs from the collection are very literal renderings of jagged scraps of paper.

The pieces on display at Generation aren't cheap – a gold-plated necklace I had my eye on cost around Rs54,000. What is evident, though, is that the jewellery is meticulously crafted. Her branding also raises the bar for Pakistani designers – her slick catalog and website definitely caught my attention.

Zohra studied jewellery design at St. Martins and worked for brands like Lara Bohinc, Husam el Odeh and Superfertile before deciding to go it alone. Though camera-shy and soft-spoken, she is very specific about her vision for the brand:

Describe Zohra Rahman jewellery in a few words.

Zohra Rahman (ZR): Progressive designs that explore forms and ideas.

Tell us a little about how your aesthetic evolved. When you started making jewellery in college who or what was your major inspiration and have you moved very far away from that?

ZR: In university I was creating a lot of art jewellery. I was exploring concepts through adornment, and using design for social commentary. I wanted to push boundaries within jewellery and being a student allowed me to do this. Working and collaborating with other designers afterwards allowed me to develop and focus on the visual aspect of jewellery design within the context of the ensemble. Audiences and markets have also influenced my choice of material, which is mostly metal now and that carries its own design grammar.

— Photo courtesy Zohra Rahman

What does your design and production process look like? Do you work systematically, moving from sketch to sample to finished product, or is the journey to a perfect piece more haphazard than that?

ZR: For some designs I use the stones I have selected as my starting point and work from there. Since moving back to Pakistan I've started browsing and collecting stones that I find interesting. I work on the computer arranging a composition that plays with proportions, shapes and techniques. I find this to be design therapy. This is a new method for me and it allows me to come up with designs that are different from the rest.

— Photo courtesy Zohra Rahman

But then a lot of design discoveries/breakthroughs happen on the workbench – an accident can lead to a new idea, and mistakes often pave the way for something previously unthought, which works out well. It has to be everything combined.

You've worked with jewellery designers abroad. What's the most challenging aspect of setting up a creative enterprise like yours in Pakistan? Are the challenges very different from what you expected they'd be?

ZR: I had a lot of trouble finding a way to produce my designs in Pakistan. London had spoiled me with its many resources and access to cutting edge technology – my designs as a result are also influenced by that. I felt rather naive when I started on my own in Pakistan – I thought all I'd have to do is design stuff and someone would just execute it for me. But I quickly realised if I wanted something done a certain way I'd have to produce it myself – now I have a fully functional workshop where I manage my own production to achieve the necessary quality.

At the same time, I’ve realised that being in Pakistan and working in this manner has its own specific advantages – I’m able to customise my designs completely, and maintain full control over all aspects from start to finish. Additionally, I am more free with experimenting as costs are lower, allowing me to develop as a designer.

What's your favourite item in this collection? How would you wear it, and where?

ZR: These days I’m enjoying this bicolour variation I created of the asymmetric earrings for the Karachi Popup Store. I like wearing them casually with whatever t-shirt I’ve got on.

What do you think we'll see everyone wearing this summer (jewellery-wise)?

ZR: I don’t know about everyone, but I’m seeing a lot of cuffs on the ramp.

Do you have a 'Zohra Rahman' girl in mind while you design, someone you imagine will effortlessly rock all your pieces? What's she like?

ZR: Hmm… I usually just ask myself ‘would I wear that?’ And if it’s looking ridiculous then I scrap it. I hate statements that make the wearer look like a dumb fashionista. So I guess the person in my head is confident and has an eye for detail. Also, it’s not really a ‘Zohra Rahman girl’ as most of my pieces are pretty androgynous.

— Photo courtesy Zohra Rahman

What can we expect from your next collection?

ZR: I want to experiment more with stones and explore new ways of using local resources.

What are you setting your sights on in the next year or so – do you have any collaborations in the works, are you looking to further expand your client base internationally, or similar?

ZR: I’m currently collaborating with this video artist, Hira Nabi, on a secret project.

Both internationally and in Pakistan, whose (other than your own) jewellery are you dying to get your hands on?

ZR: I love antique jewellery from everywhere because I know I can never recreate that.