Top Hats, Opera Glasses...Top Chef Host/Jewelry Designer Padma Lakshmi's eBay Finds

By Nandini D'Souza
September 15, 2010

Padma Lakshmi

Padma Lakshmi is the kind of woman that men love and women, well, both envy and love, too. On tonight’s season 7 finale of "Top Chef," viewers will tune in as much to see the culinary alchemy of Angelo, Ed, and Kevin as they will to watch Lakshmi dole out constructive criticism and look drop-dead doing it.

How Lakshmi balances her time as an Emmy award-winning "Top Chef" host, new mother and designer—the Padma Collection, her fine jewelry line, launched in 2009 and makes frequent appearances on the show on Lakshmi's own ears, neck and wrists—is a finely tuned recipe, but she seems to do it all perfectly. The Inside Source caught up with the style maven in the days after yet another Emmy win.

(Photo Credit: Steven Meisel)

The Inside Source: The Let's talk "Top Chef" first! Any teasers for tonight's episode?

Padma Lakshmi: The big final airs tonight and while previews already reveal that Angelo falls ill, what they don't reveal is that tonight's results are highly unexpected. Tune in because it's going to be a juicy finale!

TIS: What's your favorite meal from the show so far?

PL: My best meal or dish on the show was from my first season shot in L.A., from "Top Chef" winner Elan Hall. It was baked fideos, or Spanish vermicelli noodles, with chorizo and clams.

TIS: What's the inspiration behind your fall jewelry collection?

PL: I was very inspired by an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum of Kabul, particularly a gorgeous crown and striking ceremonial silver and gilded gold leaf plate, which depicted the Greek goddess of nature, Cybele. I began to imagine this green eyed Hellenic beauty as a mortal Afghani princess and thought about what her jewel box would look like. This collection is hers. A snake choker, heavy gilded bangles, a delicate hand piece dotted with tiny garnet beads, a broad Medieval-like cuff with gold pods, and lots of chains, rings and long dripping earrings to flatter her regal neck...these are her treasures.
Padma Lakshmi Emmy's

TIS: What inspired you to start your own jewelry collection?

PL: I simply wasn’t finding what I wanted for my own personal use in the marketplace. I wanted to take elements of antique Indian and other jewelry and apply it to today’s modern woman [in the form of] more delicate and very wearable pieces.

(Padma Lakshmi at the Emmy's wearing her design, Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Staff)

TIS: We've noticed you wearing jewelry from your collection on the show. Have viewers picked up on it?

PL: I started designing the line for commercial sale only because people were noticing it on the show. I then went on "Oprah" with a tiny, simple bean, single strand necklace, and that little piece got so much attention. We always wear the early samples on the show so I can teest them out. Of course, now we have a bit of an archive, so I repeat pieces from the first core collection. The three-tier necklace with garnets that I wore for Gail's "Bridal Shower Challenge" got a lot of attention!

TIS: What's next for the Padma Collection?

PL: Eventually, I’d love to expand The Padma Collection to include other accessories, some ready-to-wear, as well as objects for the home. However, at this time I’m enjoying realizing my creative ideas in jewelry and I’d like for our company to grow in a natural, organic way.
Padma Lakshmi's Jewelry

(The Padma Collection, Photo Credit: Shayna Fontana)

TIS: What piece means the most to you in your personal (non-Padma) collection?

PL: I have an 18k gold locket with a ruby that my uncle gave to me as a present. He put a picture of my mother and grandmother inside [of it]. It has great sentimental value to me as well as being a lovely 150-year-old antique.

TIS: Between the new baby, the collection and Top Chef, will you be going to view the new collections at Fashion Week?

PL: Unfortunately, I don’t know that I will have time because I am working almost non-stop in these coming weeks, but if I can make it, I would love to see what L’Wren Scott, Proenza Schouler and Erin Fetherston have cooking up for Spring.

TIS: What are the Fall 2010 trends that you are excited about? And what are your must-have looks?

PL: I love the color palette for Fall: shades of olive, camel, brown, deep reds and purples, along with many spice-inspired colors like shades of cinnamon, curry, saffron and paprika. I love how our Fall 10 jewelry collection fits with fall trends as well; the combination of the slate silver and gold with colorful stones and pyrite compliments [the fashion trends] nicely. Also, the moss aquamarine stones [in the Padma Collection] have a muted jewel tone that is perfect with the themes of leather, lace, and military. The military style influence is certainly right up my alley. I have quite an extensive collection of authentic military as well as military-inspired jackets that I love wearing and I find them to be quite chic on a woman.

Padma's Jewelry Line

(The Padma Collection, Photo Credit: Shayna Fontana)

TIS: What's the easiest way to update your wardrobe?

PL: Often we get caught in a denim rut, relying on our same old favorite cut of jeans. But a great new cut of jeans can inject an instant dose of style into beloved blouses and blazers. Right now I love these [jeans] that I have by Anlo, The Stella—high-waisted with a flare at the bottom.

TIS: Do you ever use eBay for inspiration or for research when you're designing?

PL: Of course. eBay is almost like a market of the world, where you can find many one-of-a-kind pieces that are otherwise very difficult to track down. Many pieces of antique jewelry, art, and stones can be found on eBay and browsing through them can certainly be very inspiring, not to mention fun.

TIS: What was your first purchase on eBay?

PL: An Edwardian silk top hat.

TIS: What was the last piece you bought on eBay?

PL: Mother of pearl inlayed opera glasses from Paris in the 1920s.

**Photos of Padma Lakshmi and the Padma Collection provided by Padma Lakshmi.**