Curry Tree Design

Most of the eco-friendly and handmade products has a unique beauty and charm because there is lots of care and attention to details. And of course there is a lot of hard work and empowerment behind each product. Curry Tree Design is one such brand that is committed to being eco-friendly, sustainable and support local artisans. Ekta Aggarwal is the force behind this brand that comes out with fabulous bags and clutches.  Thank you Ekta for that elegant and simple clutch… the royal blue colour is just beautiful and I had fun styling it for you...

 

 

 

 

 

Have a look at some of her products to visually feel what it’s like….

 

 

 

   

 

Lets hear more from Ekta about her journey with Curry Tree Design

 

How did your journey with Curry Tree Design begin?

 

I have had a long standing interest in Indian craft especially Indian hand-woven textiles. On

returning to India after completing my masters in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts,

London, I gave serious thought to what I really wanted to do for the long term. I decided to start

Curry Tree Design. I think being away from India for an extended period of time made me

realize the strong influence of Indian traditional textiles on my aesthetics.

 

What kind of formal training did you need to start this venture?

 

I have a MA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London and BA in

Economics from Hindu College, University of Delhi. I am at present studying for MFA in Art at

California Institute of the Arts. At CalArts, I am right now participating in Hybrid Incubator for

Visionary Entrepreneur (HIVE) program to develop the necessary business and marketing skills

to take my company forward.

 

Where do you derive your inspiration for your designs?

 

I am inspired by the textures, patterns, lines and colours of the Indian handmade textiles. The

beauty and flaws of these fabrics draw attention to the human hand at work. My designs strive to

acknowledge the labor of the traditional craftswomen behind these fabrics. I am inspired by their

simple lifestyle that is so attuned and connected to the land.

 

What is unique about your products?

 

At Curry Tree Design we make earth friendly bags using handmade fabrics in India. Our aim is

to provide a platform for Indian craft and jobs for craftswomen. Through Curry Tree Design we

want to create awareness for compassionate fashion. Curry Tree Design supports animal welfare

and 10 % of our profits go towards animal care. We make beautiful products that uplift the

people who carry them, see them and make them.

 

Is there a website or online store? And is it available for overseas customers as well?

 

We do have a website where our customers can view our entire collection. We are also currently

building a new website that would be connected to an online shopping platform, so very soon our

customers will be able to buy our bags online.

We are aware that there is a worldwide interest in Indian handmade products. Our bags are

available for overseas customers as well. We ship our bags worldwide.

 

What is your vision for Curry Tree Design?

 

I see Curry Tree Design as a medium to help build a strong sustainable community to support everyone in the world and to create a better environment for all of us to coexist

 

 

 

Thank you Ekta for sharing your journey with me and my readers... We wish you a growing success in everything you do!!!

 

 

If you wish to get in touch with Ekta please write to currytreedesign@gmail.com and click here to browse through her products.

 

 

Choti Moti

Today we speak to a sister duo that launched their venture on a whim and for their sheer love for lifestyle products, design and décor. The Choti Moti sisters, Shalini and Saveen, based in Munich, recently launched their unique online store that caters to lifestyle products. Their products are funky, quirky, boho, chic and ethnic. And they provide a platform for different labels with a curate collection that ranges from accessories and home décor products. I personally love the distinct mood they have created with their collection. It is more like a celebration of good things in life.

Let’s hear more from the beautiful duo

How did it all start?

Choti Moti is an online store showcasing modern Indian lifestyle designs. We currently stock handmade jewellery, textiles, stationery, bags and footwear. We have consciously chosen partners, whose design process is creative as well as sustainable and helps keeps the traditional art of handmade alive.

We have always been passionate about design and decor and working together on something we both felt inspired by was a long cherished dream despite our comfortable corporate jobs in Dubai and Muscat, where we both were based for the last decade. An opportunity to move back with our families to Munich last summer was the first step in realizing our dream and a year later, here we are. 

 

What inspired you both to this venture?

The inspiration to start Choti Moti came from annual visits home to India, where we realized the indian design scene was buzzing with creative talent and amazing lifestyle products from both budding and established designers. Apart from a few renowned names that are known in the international market, there are a plethora of Indian brands that remain undiscovered beyond the local or national retail scene. We also realized that with Choti Moti, we could cater to a niche in the German market, where people, while familiar with India, its cuisine and the ever popular yoga, are largely unaware of how much India has to offer in terms of design and sustainability; something that they care deeply about. 

 

Why the name Choti Moti?

We wanted a name that had an Indian origin but at the same time would be easy for a non-indian audience to pronounce and remember. We also wanted the name to represent the range of lifestyle products we were looking to showcase; from elegant to vibrant, retro and quirky, which is why we chose "Choti Moti", a Hindi term denoting knick knacks. The words are easy to say, playful and as proven time and again, a definite conversation starter with our German customers, who are invariably curious about its meaning. Just ask the UPS guy, who delivered our first shipment of products! 

 

What is the product range that you deal with?

We have an interesting mix of handmade eclectic as well as delicate silver jewelry; some of which are set with precious and semi precious stones, block printed and hand stitched cotton duvets, table and cushion covers, recycled and upcycled stationery and a vibrant range of custom print bags, wallets and footwear. 

 

What are your dreams for Choti Moti?

We once read it's a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together and with Choti Moti we are truly living our dream. We hope to grow our brand organically and include more product categories, such as crockery, furniture and apparel. The ultimate dream is to have our own boutique store with a small cafe within, where we can offer our customers a complete Indian lifestyle experience through a seamless blend of tradition and modern Indian design. 

 

There are so many things that has caught my eye and here are a few of my favorite things

Bags and coasters

Silver Dragon fly Pendants

Love this wallet!

Beautiful Silver Necklace

 

Block printed "Royal Sultana" quilt

Funky Sandals

Beautiful Cushions

 

Wishing the Choti Moti sisters a great success in their journey!! More power to this duo!

Please click here to browse through their products, here to access their Facebook and here to follow them on Instagram.

Images via Choti Moti







 

A Sunny Disposition

A Sunny Disposition, oozes beautiful designs, patterns and unique handmade bags, clutches and wallets, all made by Susan John, based in Bangalore. Her bags are perfect to those that love bold colours and ethnic designs and if you have a weakness for bags like me then I can guarantee you are going to love Susan’s creations.

Let’s take a peek into Susan’s craftsmanship and learn more on how it all started and enjoy the beautiful patterns and colour combinations.

“A Sunny Disposition”…. A catchy name for your creations. How did it all begin?

Hi, My name is Susan and I am the one woman force behind A Sunny Disposition. I make a whole range of bags from clutches, wallets, big bags, small bags and a host of other bags! All done by me, from my tiny spare bedroom in Bangalore, India with a whole lot of love and passion.

"A cloudy day is no match for A Sunny Disposition"- William Arthur Ward  This was the quote that kept coming back to me while I was looking for a word or phrase to sum up what sewing means to me. I was in a corner of the US 4 years ago where it was almost always cloudy or raining. Sewing was a ray of sunshine at that time. Now it’s a way of life for me! :)

 

Do you have a designing background?

The only structured design background that I have is, a degree in Architecture and a couple of years in an architecture firm, where I had the opportunity to unleash my creativity on unsuspecting clients. However, my actual design background, passion and flair for what I'm doing has a lot to do with my family -  having a fabulous interior designer for a mom, a talented textile/ graphic designer for a sister and a level headed merchant mariner father who loosely binds all us crazy gals together! Mark Twain says that "The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why" .  In that sense, I am really fortunate to have discovered exactly what I want to do with my days.

 

Where do you get your inspirations for your designs?

I find inspiration from all over but I am drawn to bold solid colours, repetitive modern prints and functional bags. I love challenging my skills, making each bag a little better than the last one. I'm constantly trying to add or improve some feature that I thought I couldn't do on my earlier design. 

 

Are your products available within India or outside as well?

I market and sell through my facebook page only. I take on limited number of custom orders per month. Every client has a personal touch they want to add to their bags and I help them achieve that - this could be anything from colour options for certain bags, additional pockets and such. The best orders are those who inspire me to create a wholly new and different bag pattern.

 

Do you have an online shop and accept customization? What is your dream for your venture?

I like the organic pace at which A Sunny Disposition is growing. For the moment, I'm going with the flow and I hope that I can continue doing what I love, and people continue to appreciate it. 

Have a look at my handpicked favorites from Susan’s creations

 

Click here to browse through her Face book page. And email Susan at asunnydisposition.shop@gmail.com if you have any enquiries or customization.

Images via A Sunny Disposition