New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS): Jewellery designs flaunted by actresses in films and TV shows are inspiring several Indian women to emulate theor style, online jewellery retailers say.

"The demand for imitation jewellery has seen a huge surge over the past year. Customers, especially women are very inspired by the latest trends, thanks to following soap operas and celebrity fashion on a regular basis," Ashish Sood, co-founder, Youshine, said in a statement.

“This has led to an aspiration to emulate the styling they see flaunted by their favourite stars. Rise in standards of living and purchasing power has also aided customers’ preference for evolving fashion jewellery trends, as endorsed by celebrities,” Sood added.

Women's love for real silver, gold and diamond jewellery notwithstanding, Indian customers don't mind buying replicas of the Bollywood-inspired jewels, feels Shagun Chadha, CEO and founder, Eristona.com.

“There’s been a 30 to 40 percent of increase in sale (of such jewellery). Women like to adorn themselves with the latest collections designed exactly like the original. We have Deepika Padukone-inspired ‘Ram-Leela’ jhumkas are a huge hit on the website,” she said.

“Aged between 12 and 45, women those who purchase such jewellery are mostly from metropolitan cities. However, there's been a lot of love from Punjab, Ludhiana and Chandigarh and parts of south india as well,” she added.