E C H O E S of O U R L I V E S
by
Hina Nitesh
by
Hina Nitesh
After a few years of
being stay at home moms, we both decided to DO something (we were already doing
a lot as moms and wives). but we wanted to DO something more - something for
ourselves. Over the years we had become more moms than the architect-designer
we were trained to be so our first thought was of course about children...and
as things turned out we decided to make clothes for little people and we are
still taking baby steps in our clothing line for kids.
I am telling you about
all this because it really is inspiring to see people are like us who have
succeeded in making a mark for themselves. This post is about Almirah and MUNY
both brands for little people (though MUNY has stuff for women as well).
A L M I R A H
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| Simple lines make elegant clothes for little people |
The brain child of a Divya
and Aditi - mother daughter duo (what fun to work like this) the brand caters
for children in the age group of 0-12 years. Their range of products for
children includes clothes, bedding, toys, accessories etc. They use organic
cotton, soft mulmul, linen and wool for their entire line.
 |
| Quirky motifs embroidered on the garments for the Indian touch |
What stands out for
me is the way it conveys 'Indian'. The brand does justice to the rich fabric
which is block printed with contemporary and at times quirky motifs like cow,
parrot, Indian truck, taxi, Vespa, etc all bringing out the essential link. Whether
it is quilted or embroidered or has patchwork on it, you will be able to
identify it with India.
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| Quilted in the traditonal manner these are soft and therefore ideal for the baby |
The Indian market for
kids clothing is flooded with run of the mill clothes which lack an Indian identity.
We have a rich heritage as far as textile and crafts is concerned but it is sad
that the same has not translated into regular clothes for children. The
'Indianess' seems to be reserved for ethnic clothes for the likes of weddings
and festivals. Almirah is one brand that fills this void. the range of product
in Almirah's portfolio reflects the traditional heritage while still being
everyday clothes.
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| Sensitively designed accessories for baby care |
The clothes as well as
the embroidery patterns on them are designed by Aditi while Divya looks
after the production aspect. Simple lines and comfortable to be in are two
aspects that characterize these clothes. They are easy to wear as well as
maintain. Both the embroidery and block
printing patterns retain their childlike qualities. Soft cloth and pastel
shades make these clothes a must have for children.
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| Let the toys also wear the same clothes... |
I had a tough time deciding on my favourite in their collection but I absolutely love their teddy bears which are dressed in the same quirky block prints.
MUNY
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| Celebrating the rich Indian textile tradition |
Let me begin by saying
that if someone has lived in India, they cannot go untouched by the variety of
weaves and sheer brilliance of colours, patterns and texture of Indian
textiles. Keep this in mind when I tell you about MUNY(moo nee) - a children
clothing brand based in Brooklyn.
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| A contemporary touch to handloom fabric |
An acronym of Mumbai New York, Muny's founder
Samara Mahendru is an architect with masters in communication design. Though
she had practiced architecture for 14 years, when she stepped into cloth and
fabric it was totally uncharted territory. This is where the opening statement
becomes relevant. Inspired by Indian traditional techniques like weaving and block
printing, MUNY has a range of clothing for children, clothing for women and
accessories. These products are unique in themselves for they are influenced by
the designer's cultural background as well as the environment which she is
living in at the moment.
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| Stylizing to give a new definition |
The story of making of these
clothes spans half the world - they are designed by Samara in Brooklyn and
manufactured by craftsmen in Rajasthan in India. Block printed cottons, khadi
and ikat are the fabrics that are used
for making these clothes. The designs add the contemporary touch whether in the
form of the whimsical block print or in the style of the garment itself. The
entire range for children is designed around being comfortable. They also have
quilts, blankets and pillows for children made with the same fabric. One look
and you will surely be bowled over by their softness which is successfully
conveyed through pictures.
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| Snuggle into the softness |
Apart from children,
MUNY has designs on women as well which include dresses, skirts, tops, scarves
etc.
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| Blending the modern with traditional |
To know more about MUNY and its range of products
do stop by at its online store.
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