Anvita Jain

The incredible Anvita Jain is from Delhi . She is currently pursuing an MFA in Graphic Design at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan, USA. Her colourful chaos interlaced with stark , graphic piranhas, parrots with penile tails and phallic fish is all very interesting to me. So are ducks who's bodies are filled with gray matter.

Sangeeta Sandrasegar

I've always been a fan of Sangeeta Sandrasegar's delicate and morbid imagery. The paper cutouts,  so fantastic and organic in their form ,often draw their inspiration from verbose old text or poetry. This one speaks of a possessed woman who sets out to consume that which she nurtured, as the tables turn and she is the one being consumed. Death can be pretty. Sandrasegar is based out of Melbourne. She has been featured on MASALA CHAI before, here.

Radha Dumra

 

 "Slick neo goth womenswear for fashion-forward individuals who understand how the understated modesty of monochrome combined with the sharp angular cuts can change the silhouette of a woman's body and create an impact.The clothes are quietly content to be seen and not heard on the bodies of the brave. Designed exclusively for those who are bold, feel strong, proud and in control. Make your own unapologetic statement. Rebel, and decide for yourself, even though your path is blocked by millions of people out there who have been uniformly convinced of an opposing idea" , Claims the fabulous London based Radha Dumra The hairy detailing does it for me.

Salonee Gadgil

Jewelry designer Salonee Gadgil creates beautiful little tokens from her strolls on the beach. She carefully combs the shores of the ocean to collect shells and unique trinkets from the sea and puts her own spin on it by adding a swirl of colour , embellishing the already gorgeous piece. The Goa based designer calls her shell based jewelry line 'She Sells'. 

These affordable necklaces are available at the MASALA CHAI store , Chennai.

Karan Singh

Revisit the creative genius of Sydney based Karan Singh, who I've featured before. Superb! Mr.Singh.

Caitanya

Jushmi Barooah graduated from The Chelsea College of Art and Design, London  . With seven years of experience in the field of Design and an exposure to international expression of art and design, she started Caitanya . ‘Caitanya’ a Sanskrit expression, means consciousness.  Versatile,modern and minimalistic jewellery with an architectural edge, Caitanya’s jewellery is unconventional, adding an individual, bold streak to your sense of style.  

Beautifully crafted in sterling silver and 18 carat vermeil gold with semi precious stones, the collection expands in to a complete range of cocktail rings, layered chains, statement bangles and earrings.

As an initial step 2% of sale proceeds of select products will be donated to BAL ASHRAM an initiative of Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

exquisite pieces from Caitanya are available at the MASALA CHAI store , Chennai

Diana Linda

Diana Linda is an expatriate living in India .She used to work with the international NGO,  Doctors Without Borders for eight years before she decided to follow her passion for designing.Now she crafts a variety of products ranging from bags, fashion accessories, pouches, jewellery, belts, decorated stockings, shoes, ornamental jackets, and home décor items.

Inspired mainly by India and its vibrant colours, her work spells Mumbai-Bombay- Bollywood with its pop culture, kitsch and drama. Her work uses various techniques like decoupage and recycling. Her gorgeous bollywood boots are available at the MASALA CHAI store, Chennai.

FLINTS

FLINTS is the underground creative outburst straight from the Pondicherry based design studio IMPPRINTZ run by Rahul Sureka.

Here is a range of funky graphic handmade paper products by FLINTS featuring DiGiTaLkOnG.

Completely printed by hand, each product is unique and has the essence of a fleeting spontaneity. The appeal is minimal+bold+earthy. DiGiTaLkOnG is a bold pixel character, grooving to an electronic beat, banging on his bongo wherever he goes. His edgy manner is quite addictive as he grabs attention.

The line starts with a KonGsizeBOX a utility board box, KonGpenStanD, a handy stationery stand to put a bounce to your day, and HanGaKonG, hang him around and get into his Groove instantly.

FLINTS is available at MASALA CHAI, Chennai

Tote-ally

I loved Shreya Shanbag's idea to encourage eco chic. It's not easy being green and completely stylish simultaneously. Tote-ally achieves this effortlessly.  Here's their sales pitch:

Shopping is fun. What's more fun? Responsible shopping. Keeping a Tote-ally tote handy, will not do you any harm. But it will sure do the planet a whole lotta good! Made from 100% bio-degradable cotton, these totes are here to stay.What's more? They come with a promise to love you long time! Tote-ally is here to make Right all the plastic bag's Wrongs. Though the damage cannot be undone, it can definitely be controlled hereon.So do what's right. 

Choose Green.Think Green. Be green!

Stay tuned for cool new additions to the Tote-ally family. Till then, Shop with Tote-ally!

Available at the MASALA CHAI store , Chennai. 

ELLE magazine

Elle magazine did a piece on me in the March issue , 2011. I flew to Mumbai for the photoshoot. I was treated like a celebrity by the creative team at ELLE. Such an amazing moment. And to think it started with a blog :) 

Item Number

I'm a personal fan of what the fabulous guys at Item Number do. Yes, its full blown in your face bollywood kitsch. Are you a shy wallflower who quotes Sylvia Plath? Yeah, this isn't for you. But if you're the sort who can mix her chic with her kitsch, look no further. The name Item Number should be  indication of how these accessories will put you centre stage, social spot light. Celebrate your inner diva - it's time to make a statement. 

Item number is a Mumbai based company run by artist/designer due Inder & Arif. 

Available @ MASALA CHAI, Chennai

Kya Cheez Hai

The people at Kya Cheez Hai are all about putting the fun into functional .Their first range of Magnets, USBs and paperclips/bookmarks all feature moustaches - an essential of you want to retain any sort of credibility at work. Or not . KCH , is a two people team of designers based out of Bangalore,  who came together to create a range of utilitarian objects that make you smile. Cant wait to see what they do next!

 Grab yours at the MASALA CHAI store in Chennai .