OK, I admit….I was actually watching for the first time Dancing with the Stars. One thing I noticed was that  most of the woman dancers were wearing lots of bangles with lots of  bling. These bracelets brought to mind Pamela, who I met last week.  A friend took to me an inspirational shop owned by  Pamela P. Puccia, the founder of Bombay Bangles.  We all have dreams and Pamela is living hers. She is an  out going,  vivacious woman who definitely believes and admires the beauty and craftsmanship of the   bangles she designs.

Photo: Left:business friend of Pamela;center is Pamela; right is Jaima Emmert

Her  dream was to do business one day with her childhood native country of origin, India. Since a child, she dreamed of opening  a company importing treasures of India whether it was clothing, jewelry or art.

In 2009, her dream came true and Bombay Bangles was founded. Pamela believes that every woman from every social economic level should be able to buy and wear one of a kind hand made jewelry.  The  vibrant East Indian culture  is displayed in her bangle colors and designs. All of the authenticity of a Bombay Bangle has been kept intact in that they are designed and  created by people of East Indian Origin.  Pamela and her design partner Saptarshi Mitra who lives in India and their  twenty artisans are constantly drawing new designs. At the moment they are designing a bangle in honor of her  mother  who passed away in 2010. The new design will be called the  “Sarswati Edition”.

Photo: Pamela left, right Lisa Walkup of Genesis Home Watch, LLC

Pamela not only sells Bangles but also fashions from India, like these easy to wear skirts  that are all hand made with intricate mirrors and beading offered in various vibrant colors as well as painterly silk dresses and other hand crafted items.

The other fun thing about Pamela, is that her boutique is very unique. Just like in New York, before  SOHO was trendy and when it storage  units were stores,  Pamela’s boutique is nestled  in a storage unit.

Bombay Bangles Boutique

Yes, down by the Naples Airport is a section where storage units  are shops and is the only area  in Naples that offers this unique shopping experience.  A  new trend starting to grow  for retail but with Pamela, she opens her boutique for  appointments only. When you walk through the door, you enter into a vibrantly painted shop full of fabulous bangles with bling.

So what are  Bombay Bangles?   Bombay Bangles are not mass produced and every bangle is one of a kind. Each stone is delicately placed in every bangle. There company uses  a material  known as “lak” which is a clay ceramic pottery mix which is created by soil and earthen material excavated from the foot hills of the Himalayan Mountains native to India.  The material is poured into molds and then right after, the artisan gets to work inlaying ornaments that are strategically placed to create one of a kind bangles. The glitter found on the bangles, is mixed into the paint which is not a regular craft material. No glues or plastics are in a Bombay Bangle and the  glass used in some of the designs is hand blown.

The frames are made of brass, bronze,  stainless steel or tin. Each Bombay Bangle created is a mini work of art that you can wear.  Its easy to mix various sizes together to create a dramatic layered effect. If you are inclined to want some serious bling, you can make it happen with these delightful bangles. So, if you are ever in the area, email Pamela at bombaybangels.com as I know she would love to show you her designs.
Enjoy.
Jaima

All photos courtesy of  Jaima & Co.