Stories You Bring Home

A fabulous new store on the world wide web

With discounts specially for You, 

My dear An Indian Summer readers!

Keep reading and,

Bring Home Stories!

With a name as evocative as Bring Home Stories, this brainchild of Sapna Bhatia and Paul Liptrot, attempts and succeeds in doing just that - brings home stories to you from the bylanes and daily life of the cities we live in and travel to. Sapna, an international journalist and Paul, an artist based in England, capture stories on culture, art and people on video, and these short films become inspiration for design evocative of the uniqueness of the city. 

 

The very first collection at Bring Home Stories, is inspired by Delhi's flower markets (the now sadly pushed to the city outskirts - phool mandis). The exclusive product range consists of artwork, prints, cushions, apparel and accessories. You can view the range right here, and watch the story of Sapna and Paul's travels through Delhi unfold via the many well shot videos.

If you love the unique products at Bring Home Stories as much as I do, make sure you use the special discount offer valid only for readers of An Indian Summer! You can avail a discount of 15% on the entire range of Bring Home Stories products. Register on their site, and use the code IndSumJ13 to avail the discount. This single use code is valid till Sept 10, 2013. 

Shop away!

 

[All images: Bring Home Stories. Creative story boarding: An Indian Summer]

Of beautiful fabrics...

...and talented women

It's showcase time folks! Time to bring to you a selection of design goodness that I have been getting in my inbox. And what better day to present these to you than a friday? Browse through these lovely designs and stores, in this post and next, at your leisure over the weekend!

~ Taan Bann ~  

Saumya Nagar, a consultant textile designer and a long time reader of the blog, shared with me the wonderful design studio she is currently working with. Taan Baan is a brand started by Rta Kapur Chishti, the author of the immensely popular 'Saris of India'. Taan Baan works to promote handspun and handwoven textiles by developing scarves, sarees and home furnishings. Taan Baan has also started the innovative Sari School, where the traditional sari wearing styles are taught and promoted.

[Connect with: Taan Baan; The Sari School]

~ Saffron Hue ~

What began as a casual conversation between two friends, Ruchi Sharma and Pinal Maniar, Saffron Hue brings a fresh new perspective to the traditional textiles and techniques of India by using them for baby bedding and accessories. Saffron Hue's products reflect the changing times and are an amalgamation of skilled craftsmanship, tradition and modern design sensibilities. 

Ruchi is a corporate-refugee-turned-entrepreneur holds an undergraduate degree in Finance from University of Houston and has more than seven years of extensive experience in both finance and marketing. Pinal has an advanced diploma in Textile Design from the prestigious National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Backed with a sound design studio experience she has been working as an independent textile and surface designer and consultant since 2003 exploring different avenues and techniques in the field of home furnishings, handicrafts and quilting. 

Saffron Hue would love to offer An Indian Summer readers a whopping 30% discount till April 7th, 2013. Just use the code SPRING at checkout while shopping here.

[Connect: Saffron Hue; On facebook] 

 

~ 11.11 ~

Based in Delhi, Paris and Berlin, 11.11 is strongly rooted in the Indian heritage of techniques and textile aesthetics. This eclectic fashion brand was started by Shani Himanshu and Smitha Singh Rathore, who graduated from Domus Academy in Milan in 2003. Having worked with Italian brands and being exposed to their craftsmanship, they strongly believe in cross over of cultures and aim to retain and enhance the inherent quality of fabric and craft in their designs. 

11.11 is available at The Grey Garden, located at the Hauz Khas village in New Delhi. Just mention An Indian Summer at the studio to get a 5% discount on purchases above INR 10k.

[Connect: 11.11; The Grey Garden]

~ Pappadum ~

Pappadumis a cozy little children's store in Chennai conceptualized and run by Priyanka Raghunath and Harini Lakshminarayan. Harini and Priyanka collaborate with independent artists and designers, who specialize in sustainable alternatives for families with children between the age of 0 & 5. Their store houses a mixed bag of products that range from clothing to room decor, bed linens, accessories and the likes. Since a majority of these designers are parents themselves, they're inspired to make their products as eco-friendly, organic and fair-trade as possible. They also take great pride in their book section that is painstakingly put together by researching children's authors, illustrators and independent publishers, whose creativity amazes and inspires them, everyday.

Priyanka Raghunath is an Architect by profession. She, admittedly, draws her inspiration from Bijoy Jain, Kevin Mark and Geoffrey Bawa amongst other architectural greats. Professionally and personally, she likes things simple and has a green thumb that is some thing of a legend! Harini Lakshminarayan comes from an Advertising & Film background. Is a BIG design, graphic novel and indie cinema buff and can, predictably, be found indulging in one of the aforementioned pursuits when not at Pappadum.

Harini and Priyanka would love to offer a 15% discount specially to An Indian Summer readers. Just mention An Indian Summer when you walk into their store in Chennai to avail the discount!

[Connect: Pappadum on facebook] 

~ Ichcha ~ 

The concept of Ichcha, a wish to encourage conscious living, was conjured in 2010 by sisters Ruchika, Rachna and Monika. Leaving their corporate careers, the three launched into the off beaten path of India, striving to forge friendships with the people closer to the land.

Ichcha, as a result, is a combination of aspirations to explore and the idea of sustainable living. The three founders aspire to work with good people, aspire to encourage the traditions of the land, aspire to do justice to earth and it's offerings. Their products are a direct offspring of their design values, merged with the hands who know the bends of each thread, the fold of each fabric, the color of each flower. Ichcha works to continue the age old tradition of block printing with natural dye, and also working with inspirational women whose hands know the importance of each stitch that contributes to the beauty of a whole design. 

[Connect: Ichcha, Ichcha on facebook]

[All images: An Indian Summer]

Three stores

 Each fabulous and unique in it's own little way!

Sanctum

Sanctum, the quaint shabby cum industrial chic store in Bombay, is a much loved retail project for it's owner - Sandhya Gorthi. Sandhya has created a happy home for all things vintage, relaxed, less than perfect, and ugly-beautiful. Sandhya's vision for Sanctum is to fill the gap between high end lifestyle store and the profusion of stores offering rich, ornate, ethnic or kitschy offerings. At Sanctum's outlet in Bandra, Bombay, you will find washed, distressed and industrial furniture, cheerful and unusual home accessories, candles, mirrors, lamps, crockery and furnishing, apparel, jewelry, and work by new and established designers. 

So if you are in Bombay, or visiting Bombay, do walk into this fabulous store today! And, for the next two weeks, just mention your favorite blog [An Indian Summer!] to get a 10% discount on your purchases! 

[Sanctum's location and address, and Sanctum on facebook]

Studio Azzurra

Aninda Singh, design graduate from NIFT, thought of starting Studio Azzurra when her friends and family started buying jewelry pieces designed by her, literally off her neck! Aninda has always been artistic, dabbling in different mediums and materials, creating some very unusual pieces of jewelry. Her jewelry is influenced by her travels, and the little things she loves. Studio Azzurra’s work is characterized by finely worked elements in sterling silver and semi-precious stones sourced from across the globe. Using artisan craft techniques to create designs that are timeless and insusceptible to fleeting fashion trends, jewelry at Studio Azzurra , is individually and affectionately made by hand, emphasizing colour, texture and tone. 

You can also buy these drop dead gorgeous pieces from Studio Azzurra's online store. And you being who you are, my favorite peeps, you get a 15% discount for the next two weeks when you shop here. Just use the code AIS015 when making the purchase!

[Studio Azzurra online shop and Studio Azzurra on facebook]

CraftCanvas

CraftCanvas is Nisha Vikarm’s attempt at making crafts accessible, usable and affordable to the urban audience. Nisha quit her corporate job in 2009 to focus on her passion of developing home decor products and services, working with handicraft artisans. And also get an opportunity to satiate her need to travel while doing so! 

CraftCanvas, in partnership with artisan communities across the country, explores 'handicraft-inspired' interior design. Acting as a link between the artisans and the urban customer, CraftCanvas translates age old craft into something modern and relevant to the urban audience. Nisha believes that there is a place for India's traditional crafts even in the most modern of spaces, whether it's in the form of a monochrome pichwai embellishing and minimalist living room wall or beautiful athangudi tiles in a Mediterranean style porch.

CraftCanvas retails via online stores like Shopo, Craftsvilla and Artsy. And specially for An Indian Summer readers, Nisha would like to offer 20% off on your purchase till Sept 24th when you shop right here! Just use the code INDSUMMER at the checkout.

[CraftCanvas, CraftCanvas on facebook]

Thanks to all Sandhya, Aninda and Nisha for being such inspiring creative entrepreneurs.  And for so graciously offering such lovely discounts to An Indian Summer readers!

On another note, do check out the winners of the giveaway by Sir Alistair Rai and Island company later in the evening today! There's still some time and if you haven't entered yet, make sure to enter the giveaways here and also here!

Come back tomorrow for some delightful rooms, right here on this bloggie blog!