Payal Rajasekaran is at the playground with her daughters while the painters are renovating her home. Life has been a whirlwind for her lately, as work, moving homes and other events have hit her without respite.
Despite what feels like the weight of the world upon her, Rajasekaran knows she can handle the pressure. The lotus on her necklace and the ornaments on her bracelet remind her that she can persevere through any condition. These pieces were designed by Rajasekaran herself for her brand, Modern Devi Designs.
Modern Devi is Rajasekaran’s tribute to both her ancestry and its jewelry, combining South Asian designs with minimalist flair fit for everyday wear. Her designs are heavily influenced by her experience as a first-generation South Asian American woman.
When Rajasekaran first moved to the Main Line region, the only person she knew was her realtor. Now, she’s built a community and created a jewelry brand that embraces the strength of women.
“‘Devi’ means ‘goddess’ in Sanskrit,” Rajasekaran explains. “The name honors women as well as my heritage. My aim is to use jewelry as a vehicle to inspire other women to find joy in the present moment.”
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While many South Asian pieces are intricately designed with 18- or 22-karat gold, Modern Devi takes the motifs of these traditional pieces and transforms them into more scaled-down items made of 14-karat gold. Rajasekaran’s designs combine symbols typically seen in South Asian bijouterie with contemporary trends.
“There’s so much beautiful [South Asian] jewelry on the market, but I hadn’t seen anything that was just everyday jewelry without also being costume jewelry,” Rajasekaran says. “Oftentimes, South Asian jewelry, specifically Indian jewelry, may not work with everyday clothing in a blended cultural upbringing. It’s not going to work with athleisure or something like that. I see certain pieces and it’s like, ‘Oh gosh, I wish I could wear this regularly, but it just needs to be a bit more minimal,’ and a lot of my friends felt the same way.”
Growing up with a blend of Indian and American influences, Rajasekaran has had a lifelong affinity for jewelry.
“Jewelry is one of those things that holds up over time and over generations. It really does tell the story of your heritage,” Rajasekaran says. “It tells the story of your way of expressing yourself. I think it’s one of those things that you can truly pass onto the next generation. There’s just something about it that I’ve always loved from the time I was little.”
Even her name translates to jewelry.
“Ironically, my name, Payal, is a piece of jewelry,” Rajasekaran says. “It’s an anklet. Back in the day, women would wear these anklets with bells that jingled as a sign that they were entering the room. It symbolizes a very feminine, graceful and joyous sound, and the movement of walking and dancing.”
Rajasekaran used the inspiration of the anklet bells to create one of Modern Devi’s best-selling designs. Another design, the Lotus Devi, represents women’s strength and the ability to overcome obstacles.
“You’ll see that design element a lot in South Asian culture and other cultures,” Rajasekaran shares. “A lotus can grow in the toughest conditions and the murkiest of waters and come out a glorious, beautiful flower. I wanted to show that as a design [that] us women are bad*ss, and we do a lot of things and wear a lot of hats.”
The labor Rajasekaran has put into the brand, an effort five years in the making, shows through in her designs. Her pieces are meant to inspire, elicit a sense of joy and grace and serve as a reminder to the wearer to live in the moment.
Rajasekaran’s journey has not been without obstacles, though. When she first moved to the Main Line region six years ago, she initially struggled to find a sense of community. Despite hurdles beyond the pandemic, including the transition to motherhood, Rajasekaran persevered with the creation of Modern Devi.
“I have met so many amazing, supportive people on the Main Line that I consider as close as family now,” Rajasekaran enthuses. “Many of these people in our community picked me up when I was second-guessing myself on this journey.”
Customers in the area, regardless of cultural background, have found inspiration in Rajasekaran’s designs and the symbolism of uplifting women. With a successful pre-launch and a recent community event in the region, Rajasekaran hopes to keep the momentum going.
“A lot of the success so far has been through friends of friends and word of mouth, and I think that there’s something so awesome about that,” Rajasekaran notes. “I would love to have that presence going forward here on the Main Line. I think just supporting other local businesses, specifically supporting other women, is so important.”
Related: Pearl Somboonsong Sounds off on Her Main Line Area Favorites
