THE ACCESSORISERS
MRINALINI CHANDRA, KANIKA SACHDEVA, GAUTAM SINHA, SIDDHARTH DASPAN, AND AAVRITI R JAIN
THE BIRKIN MAY NOT HAVE an Indian equivalent yet, but in a step ahead for the industry, accessory designers are coming to the fore, and not only because of their designs, but also for the quality of their products. Kanika Sachdeva of Square Loop and Gautam Sinha of Nappa Dori are on their way to making their mark in leather goods design. For Gautam Sinha, “the accessory design segment is at a nascent state in India. Accessories have always taken a back seat... but things are changing, more and more home-grown brands are making their mark.” And no one has done it better than Nappa Dori, which in the last three years has grown to include everything from digitally printed totes to luggage and even dog collars. Sachdeva of Square Loop also prefers to work with leather to fashion her structured satchels, backpacks, and clutches. Since her label’s launch at Lakmé Fashion Week winter-festive 2013, 29-year-old Sachdeva is looking to enter the online market and is, “trying to innovate the bag’s form and not play just with the surface. The resulting shapes are less common, yet minimal.”
Minimal is the way for jewellery as well. Foregoing traditional jewellery, Mrinalini Chandra and Dhora’s Siddharth Daspan and Aavriti R Jain are carving a niche for their urban yet luxe designs. A graduate of Italy’s Istituto Marangoni, Daspan says, “we do a clean product. It’s very raw, but it’s neat. We don’t do kundan and meenakari work, ours is more wearable. Our spring line will include a lot of sharp, geometric figures.” The duo’s main prerogative is to promote their home state Rajasthan’s crafts and with retailers around the country, a new flagship store in Jaipur as well as a collaboration with high-street label Cottons, they’re spreading word far and wide. Designer Mrinalini Chandra’s creations however are openly opulent, “I draw a lot of inspiration from the Mughal era. There’s so much beauty in the art and grandeur of that period.” Even before her first showing at fashion week this season, the 26-year-old had already collaborated with designer Anand Kabra and her shoulder-dusting chandeliers have been spotted on celebs like Asin and Jacqueline Fernandez.