Artisan Bags
Chiaroscuro
Chiaroscuro is an Italian term referring to the balance of light and shadow in an artwork, and Smriti Sain, 33, adds her unique touch to this term through her leather bag brand. However, instead of light and shadow, Sain seeks to find harmony between the contrasting spirits of Indian tradition and modern fashion. By marrying traditional Indian leather-craft with functionality and simplistic design, Sain creates bags that have the potential to become lifelong companions, ageing beautifully day by day. A Collaborative Experience In this age of mass production and impersonal shopping, Chiaroscuro, with its made-to-order bags and deviation from assembly line production, is a refreshing change. When a Chiaroscuro bag is bought, the customer immediately becomes part of a community, a warm environment within which one can directly engage with the process of creation. From allowing customisation through personalised monograms and small alterations to introducing the customer to the bag’s artisan and providing after-sales servicing, Chiaroscuro aims to be more accessible to its buyers.
Sustainable Fashion Each Chiaroscuro bag is made using leather sourced from stock and sample lots, where previously tanned leather lies rejected and unused. Every hide used by the brand had previously been discarded due to imperfections, such as uneven skin colour, small scarring and shade variations. But unlike other leather brands, Chiaroscuro chooses to embrace these flaws, with the belief that the natural qualities of leather make the bags more appealing. Furthermore, most of the leather qualities they choose are tanned using vegetable tannins and dyes. The thoughtful process also allows the production to be more environmentally responsible.
price range `450 to `12,850 website chiaroscuro.in