Geometric animals. Wild Wild Country ’s Ma Anand Sheela’s sassy catchphrase — you know the one we are talking about. A throwback to 90s summer featuring the iconic red Milton water bottle. Colourful classic cassettes. These are some of the themes that go to create Delhi-based Say It With A Pin’s selection of over 200 varieties of the “it” accessory.
Co-founder of the recently-launched website, Kanika Seth, says, “Pins stand out as wearable iconography. We want to capture the language and symbols of our current cultural landscape with wit, humour and self-awareness. We are especially focused on Indian cultural icons.” Calling them “the most underplayed accessory”, Seth adds that brands usually only make pins in metal. “But almost all our pins are made from birch-wood, laser-cut and then hand-painted. We only recently introduced our first enamel pin. Besides, with fashion moving toward minimalism, a small pin with a strong message can play a big role,” she explains.
The brand, which was started in May this year, began working with other artists across the country by June to create diverse designs. “We knew we needed more Indian voices to talk about their opinions, and that’s how The Pin Collective came into being,” adds Seth. Currently, the collective features designs by 12 artists, chosen on the basis of their strong individual voice and graphic style. “All artwork copyright stays with the artist. We see the demand for their pins only increasing, and artists too are keen to design pins; it’s a win-win for everyone,” she says. Their website also features hand-painted wooden earrings with designs like cutting chai glasses, kiss emojis, hot air balloons and fountain-pen tips.
After participating with Comic Con India in the past, SIWAP is now looking forward to being at Nappa Dori’s Christmas market next month, and at Gaysi Zine Bazaar in January 2019. “We are looking at creating a wider range of products. Not the usual mugs and T-shirts though,” she says, keeping their future plans under wraps. Perhaps they will announce it with a pin?
Shop at sayitwithapin.com. From ₹350.
