On a recent spring day, we shared a lovely afternoon with Padma Lakshmi
in her lower Manhattan studio. While the new mom just recently gave
birth to her baby daughter Krishna, she looked fitter than ever and was
full of energy, enthusiastically chatting about everything from her
trunk show at Bergdorf the next day to the up-and-coming season of Top
Chef. As we sipped tea and ate samosas (homemade by her mother who had
just come to town from Los Angeles) we tried on the latest pieces from
her new Padma collection named Bactria, after the ancient country which
sits between the mountains of Hindu Kush and Amu Darya—now present day
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The lineup, inspired by the
area’s silk trade route, is largely made from gunmetal silver that’s
been polished to look like slate, as well as gold and rich colored
stones. Lakshmi says she also referenced oriental, Indian and Maasai
themes to weave together her striking collection, which will be
available at Bergdorf Goodman in August. We can’t wait.
Padma and one of her latest Bactria designs: 14k and 10k gold earrings
with pyrites, pearls and green topazes, $1,500, bergdorfgoodman.com.
Her inspiration board for the new collection.
A polished silver cuff with 10k and 14k gold dangling pods, $1,350,
bergdorfgoodman.com.
A 10k gold and silver snake necklace with emerald eyes and orange
sapphire briolette tongue, $3,500, bergdorfgoodman.com.The W Editors' Blog is going on a "Treasure Hunt" for May. We're searching out the latest and greatest baubles, watches, jewelry designers and boutiques and will present one a day to you throughout the month.
