The backstory
When the jewllery store Nimai came up, it was offering itself up as a platform for Indian independent jewellery designers. They showcase over 90 such labels today, and in keeping with their indie roots, they frequently host pop-ups which feature upcoming designers.
For your calendar
This weekend, Travelling Trunk, Made in Bengal, a three-year-old initiative by stylist Chikky Goenka, will be at Nimai. The idea is to move beyond the big names of Kolkata’s design and couture scene, and spotlight the bright sparks of design-think that the city nurtures.
Keep an eye out for
Door Of MAAI, Kritika Murarka, RADICAL, Richa Khemka, Soumodeep Dutta, Shreyasa Manta, Tahweave
Quick notes
The pop-up showcases only early-career designers. This means there is nobody here that has been in the business for longer than half a decade. It goes beyond the embroidery-karigari focus. It is also about innovation in fabric. For instance, a large part of Soumodeep Dutta’s work with weavers is to make a new fabric blend. He fuses Orissa silk into Bengal khadi, making for a distinct texture in the cloth of his designer prêt. Similarly, Kritika Murarka, mixes khadi and Bengal’s jamdani, and innovates with the resulting silhouette-friendly weave.
₹15k – ₹20k, Nimai, Basant Lok