BY Gurmeet Kaur | May 5, 2011

Spring trunk showcases local Indian designers

Spring trunk showcases local Indian designers

An Indian Kaleidoscope is a world of multiple design reflections, rich in imagination, interactive, artisanal, colorful, sustainable, contemporary, playful and always new!

It is a platform for contemporary design expressions inspired by India – a sometimes subtle and other times very overpowering influence over the Indian Diaspora and many others who have travelled there for work or pleasure.  The cultural roots, the emotional connection, the visual inspiration provided by India is always very interesting to me -- and an Indian Kaleidoscope is my effort to showcase that.

The first trunk show is scheduled for Thursday, May 5th, which will showcase some of the local talent at MoonSoup, a mommy & me classes/retail space in Manhattan, in partnership with Bollyinstyle--a fashion blog with a similar focus.

The designers participating in this spring trunk show include Richa Gulati of Mala Handmade a lawyer by day who devotes her spare time to fashioning one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces using silver and gold vermeil vintage charms from India, and beads from other parts of Asia and Africa with an eye towards blending what's traditional and timeless with modern design. Certain pieces, like the Mumbai hoops, can take several hours to craft as each charm is made by hand.
 

Leaves of Grass have contemporized traditional Indian tunics for the fashionable set; however the craftsmanship and embroidery techniques used are as painstaking and detailed as in the Mughal era.

Rehna Pendse, a graduate of FIT, designs sophisticated collections made of ninety-five percent sustainable fabrics, including silks, cottons and wools. The cuts and shapes are western, but the rich luxurious fabrics and precise craftsmanship are inspired by the beautiful clothes she was surrounded by growing up in Mumbai.
 

Sisters Rupa and Amisha Patel created Ode Kids clothing inspired by a lifetime of memories visiting their village in India growing up, drawing upon the vibrant colors and textiles they saw.  Using block prints and Ikats, all Ode styles are 100 percent cotton, fully lined and re-imagined for the modern toddler.

For stationery aficionados, 3 Bees Paperie will be showing their numerous designs for wedding invitations. The stationers design for wedding and social events that provide high quality and eco-friendly paper with contemporary South Asian inspired designs–from Persian emblems to tribal art to henna patterns. Started by two friends, Jaee Likhite and Reena Vadehra, who felt that despite the Indian wedding industry being so huge, the range of choices for high-quality wedding stationery was slim. Their idea was to combine South Asian aesthetics with the western appreciation for high-end paper.

Gnaana is a line of developmental toys adding elements of the South Asian culture founded by Aruna Hatti, who scaled back her legal practice to pursue her passion for educating children about South Asian cultures, language and history. The white teak wooden blocks are made by a small manufacturer in India who specializes in children’s educational products. The blocks have a smooth, sanded finish – with no varnishes or chemical coatings, confirming to worldwide safety requirements. The contemporized alphabets and art on the blocks is by local Philadelphia artists. A truly east-west collaboration.

 
Gurmeet Kaur is a design, marketing, licensing and brand development executive with special focus on the fashion, home & entertainment industries.  Kaur graduated from FIT, and is currently  the creative director of the global retail & licensing business at HBO.

To learn about the designers who are showcasing their designs, please visit the following websites:

MoonSoup: www.moonsoup.net
Bollyinstyle: www.bollyinstyle.com
Mala Handmade: www.malahandmade.com
Leaves of Grass: www.leavesofgrassnewyork.com
Rhena Pendse: www.rehnapendse.com
Ode Kids: www.odekids.com
3 Bees Paperie: www.3beespaperie.com
Gnaana: www.gnaana.com/