From drying clips to buttons and zippers, jewellery designers are picking up trivial knick-knacks and turning them into quirky trinkets. Nikshubha Garg talks to five designers who have taken the road less travelled
Accessories are like vitamins to fashion,” said Anna Dello Russo, the editor-at-large of Vogue, Japan. Though you may feel that clothes do the talking, in reality, accessories also play a crucial role in making a style statement.
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Spunky add-ons such as bags, shoes, neckpieces, earrings, rings and scarves go a long way in uplifting your attire. In fact, come to think of it, with clothing brands becoming expensive by the day, it’s impossible to keep upgrading your wardrobe on a regular basis. It is here that accessories come to your rescue. Buy a timeless piece and you can pair it with several outfits for an extra edge.
We speak to five accessory designers whose quirky collections will help you make a sartorial statement.
Material girl
Suhani Pittie, 33
Claim to fame: This Hyderabad-based designer uses steel, copper, brass, ghungroos (ankle bells) and clips to create earrings, bracelets and neckpieces. The Stella McCartney fan believes that there is an unmistaken and unperceived beauty in mundane objects that needs to be captured.
Pittie’s neckpieces made with ghungroos
Quirkiest design ever created: Her collection with zippers and buttons on a metallic base became very popular with her clients. “The seriousness of the metal against the playfulness of everyday objects was thrilling to create,” says Pittie.
She also uses clips and buttons for their novelty factor
Future collections: She always works with a base metal and creates a story around it. Her next collection will focus on a story around a new base metal.
Go funky with this metal-base bracelet with buttons and ghungroo earrings
To place orders: www.suhanipittie.com/shop or call on 040-32212495
A knot higher
Chaitali Menda, 36
Claim to fame: Originally a jewellery designer, attending to her children and thus staying at home, made Menda try something with cloth. She began making scarves and accessorising it with broaches. What started as a means to pass time at home became the reason of her popularity in the market.
Quirkiest design ever created: The designer uses silk threads to create a self-embroidered scarf taking inspiration from weavers who make jute baskets. One of her scarves has been picked up by a high-end brand and will be soon available in stores.
Future collections: “I want to experiment with draping styles and combine it with offbeat colour combinations,” asserts Menda.
To place orders call: 9987550000
A touch of tradition
Divya N, 29
Claim to fame: This Chennai-based designer took a fancy to leather while in college and since then has been making jewellery with it. “I Indianise my leather pieces with metal accents, pearls and crystals. They are versatile and can be worn with both Indian and western wear,” elaborates Divya.
Quirkiest design ever created: According to Divya, her Dasavathar necklace with 10 ganjifa images of Vishnu, scorched earrings (created using flame- painted folded copper domes and hand-painted leather leaves), bent spoon bangles and memoirs of love necklace (Love stories of Nala, Damayanthi and Shakuntala on saffron bottles) are the quirkiest of the lot.
Future collections: The designer has just launched her festive/winter collections — Chitra katha, which is based on Indian mythology and picture stories, and Ragamala that is based on classical Hindustani ragas and their visual portrayal. Both collections incorporate materials such as metal, raisins and paper, apart
from beads.
To place orders: Log on to jewelsofsayuri on Facebook or mail her at jewelsofsayuri@gmail.com
Paint my love
Aarti Verma, 29
Claim to fame: The Mumbai girl always enjoyed painting on fabric more than a canvas and that’s where the idea for her venture Art meets Fashion came about. Four years later, she has many takers for her collection of bags, which blend Indian ethnic art with bright and bold colours to give it a quirky feel.
Quirkiest design ever created: The images of goddess Kali and lord Shiva on sling bags are her quirkiest best.
Future collections: “The only thing I haven’t dabbled with is Indian folk art. My future collection will definitely have those elements,” says Verma.
Aarti’s collection of bags is inspired by Indian ethnic art that includes prints such as ikat and M F Husain’s hand-painted picture
To place orders: Call 9967361610 or email at stainedcanvas@gmail.com
Facebook page: Art Meets Fashion
Step it up
Rohan Arora, 28
Claim to fame: This B Com graduate from St Xavier’s College, Kolkata, learnt everything on the job and shot into limelight when he showcased his shoe collection at Lakme Fashion Week in 2010. His sandals with detachable heels, shoes fitted with radium-painted steel studs that glowed in the dark and hand-painted heels garnered a lot of attention.
Quirkiest design ever created: Arora says the detachable heel shoe has been his biggest achievement till date. “What I displayed at the Fashion Week was just a prototype. But after the stupendous response, I’m working towards making it user-friendly so that the common man can use it. What fascinated me about the shoe was how you could transform its look completely by adding a few inches of heels,” says Arora.
Rohan’s hand-painted ‘Mother India’ shoe and the detachable-heel shoe are his bestsellers
Future collections: Experience taught him that classic shoes and designs (read those that can be passed on from one generation to the other) last. In the near future, he wants to experiment with good-quality leather and team it up will classic designs and cuts.
To place orders: Log on to his Facebook page- (The) Rohan Arora
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