“There is a myth about Chennai shoppers, that they are conservative and traditional. But in our experience in the past seven years we realise that Chennai is always open to good content and quality. They are not hoarders, but conscious shoppers,” says Deepa Sekar, co-founder, By Hand From The Heart.
That is the reason, she says, they curate consciously designed products that are high on aesthetics as well as utility. “Participation in By Hand... is only by invitation as it is a curated event, and we find designers from all over the country. A good number of our participants have a strong online presence, and they tell us that a large portion of their customers are from Chennai.”
The two-day event which brings 34 artistes, features slow design studios, independent designers/makers, sustainable design companies, ethnic art and craft clusters, food entrepreneurs, food artisans and farmers.
Every year, the organisers look for young talented designers to showcase their work. The highlight this year is The Mookothi Showcase, featuring a range of nose pins designed by sixth generation jeweller Sarath Selvanathan. “Wearing a nose pin, a traditional ornament, is a rage now, and young girls are making a fashion statement with this accessory. We have dedicated an entire room for Sarath’s creations in gold, diamond and silver. As he is from Karaikudi, he has blended culture and history with his designs. His Athangudi themed nose pins, with enamel work, in particular are worth mentioning,” says Sekar.
Art aesthetics
She also recommends Chennai-based Madhuri Mehta, a Fine Arts graduate, who has created Fabwrap. These are Furoshiki and Kantha inspired squares of cloth which can be used to wrap objects of varying sizes and shapes. Mehta developed Fabwrap as part of a college project, then made it into a business.
“Using fabrics for wrapping (also gifts) objects is a sustainable idea. The fabric can be used again and again, and this reduces paper waste. It is such ideas that we welcome at our events,” says Sekar, adding that they look for people who think out of the box. “Most importantly we think that the designer should understand the end user behaviour and requirement. We believe better design should make for better utility.”
Also look out for Cozart, a range of light weight cement utility products designed by Ramesh Manickam, an alumni of IIT Delhi. And ArcSunArt by Archana Sunilkumar, which features freestyle art work done on a wide range of products. Sudha Sekar brings her Madras Motif, textile based bags, which she handcrafts with a lot of detailing and engineering. Then there’s Kanvas, a range of painted vegan footwear designed by Komal Panchal from Mumbai, who will be at the exhibition to meet her customers in the city. If you’re looking for vegan leather, also check out Sruthi Ashok’s collection which marries fashion and sustainability with Inai leather bags.
Textile tales
If you are interested in textiles, check out Wood and Yarn, which makes block-printed cotton handloom saris by Anju Nair. For something funky, try Fatima Latheef from Kochi’s Kerala Mundu inspired Indo-Western wear. Karthik Vaidhyanathan’s Varnam range of men’s garments are inspired by colourful toys from Channapatna.
Sekar also suggests people check out Ekta Doctor’s Wonky Works, where she upcycles old bottles. “Though her colour schemes are limited to green, brown and transparent bottles, she has made statement pieces out of them,” says Sekar, adding, “Similarly, stained glass work by Bengaluru-based Saarus Nirhali titled Glasshopper is already a big hit among the online shoppers in Chennai.”
Bags with high utility value are the hallmark of Sew For Soul by Deepa Jadav. It’s not all jewellery and hipster fashion. If you want to learn more about heritage rice, meet the team from Spirit of the Earth, which is setting up a stall. And you can also get a bit of your grocery shopping for the week done via Happy Hens, which will be selling free range eggs.
(By Hand From The Heart, is on February 16 and 17 at The Crowne Plaza, 10 am to 8 pm, 9840326354)
