What if your necklace was a sanitiser?
Blurring the line between fashion and function, homegrown labels are remodelling the face mask and hand sanitiser as everyday statement pieces
Each time Roma Narsinghani stepped out during the lockdown last year, she struggled with a problem, looking for the hand sanitiser inside her bag.
“I would be touching everything else while looking for it. It felt a bit counterproductive,” explains the Mumbai-based jewellery designer. She decided to fix the problem in a way she knew best: by launching a collection of four intricately handcrafted pods containing sanitiser or perfume, which could be fashioned as a pendant, a keychain or a bag charm. The collection, called Trana, was developed in collaboration with perfume brand NASO Profumi.
Elegant and ergonomic, the pods can be used in a way that it minimises contact with other items one might carry. The pods, which feature an urban vintage, gender-fluid look, achieved using mesh patterns and embellishments, are created using recycled brass. Each contains an embedded glass vessel, which allows it to be refilled once finished. Narsinghani believes consumers today want accessories that are functional as well. She says, “The idea of use and throw has taken a backseat. People want more out of each piece. As designers, we should be able to offer it.”
It’s the guiding principle at Noida-based accessories label Tann-ed as well.
While having friends over for a meal, Ritika Gupta, one of Tann-ed’s co-founders, observed a moment when her guests were looking for a place on a table to keep their masks on. Gupta had an instant idea: to create a collection of chains that clasp to each side of the mask and let it dangle down the neck, eliminating the chances of placing it on a contaminated surface. Featuring a leather strap and acetate chain links, in earthy hues, the mask chain doubles up as a quirky accessory.
The creation was an instant hit. As co-founder Konpal Batra puts it, “Our emphasis is on creating pieces which work for you rather than just with you.” It is this objective, adds Narsinghani, design needs to solve in order to innovate. “The thought goes beyond it being a trend. It conforms to a lifestyle,” she says.
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
MoreLess
First Published:13 Jan 2021, 09:30 AM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High