The new wave of ‘vocal for local’ proved to be a boost for Indian entrepreneurs. It has promoted local businesses during COVID-19 and given customers the ability and motivation to shop locally with ease. This rebranded version of ‘Made In India’ has our support, and every month, TC46 will spotlight small businesses and ventures you can champion and back easily through online and offline purchases.
Artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries and experts, Indian women are shattering glass ceilings and breaking out of boxes. Success, tied with skills and hard work, is what makes those featured in our list today an inspiration for many. And the journey, for these women of incredible talent, are stories that must be told.
This week, here are some brands we’re cheering on; check them out!
Customised Art By Oona Paints
Born in Mumbai, Oona D’mello’s long-term engagement with art has taken on a multitude of expressions through her experiments with design, décor and social impact. Oona has a Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, specialising in painting. Being an artist her whole life and choosing to make it a profession was a beautiful balance of loving one’s craft and knowing that she was made to create.
Oona shares her love for the human mind through her services as an artist coach. She is the Founder & Executive Director of Art for Self-Reliance Foundation, a not for profit organisation that applies art as a tool for self-expression and healing. She is also the co-owner of Turqoise Inc., an online retail space for home decor, creating interior design concepts and styles and unique bespoke designs. The mission of Turqoise Inc. is to support the artisan and tell the story of ‘how’ a product is created to establish a conscious consumer mindset and ethical foundation in the space of hand made home decor.
Oona made Chicago her home for nearly a decade, taking on roles such as the Art and Gallery Director at The Chicago Mosaic School, in conjunction with events at the Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics. She simultaneously had a number of solo and group shows in Chicago and Ohio, as well as in China and India. The artist presented her experiments with textiles and painting at an exhibition in Venice, Italy. She went on to exhibit her textile-based paintings in Singapore with her show ‘Feeling Resistance, Memory & Practice’ in September 2019. Oona is the co-founder of Est. Form, a creative collective. Est. Form: Edition was launched in Mumbai on December 14th, 2019. Her most recent exhibit was at Method Art Space at Kala Ghoda, titled ‘On & Off The Wall’, opened February 2020. She works worldwide and is represented by Kalpa Arts Advisory.
Her work nature is that of gestural abstraction where she creates a state of response with her work. She makes large scale paintings and sculptures using a variety of mediums and textiles. There is a significant section of her work that involves collaborations across disciplines like painting, fashion & dance. The target audience for art, in general, is a recipe of art enthusiasts and collectors. She enjoys exhibiting and sharing her work with those who appreciate the creative process, enthusiasts of beauty and curious minds. She believes that art must be available to all, buying art is the second stage. Developing a muscle where we learn to engage and connect with the art and its maker is the first stage, and in her opinion, irreplaceable. Oona works on commission in addition to the series she creates. You can view her work on the official website or on Instagram.
Creative Gifting By Tohfa
TOHFA is a one-stop-shop for all your gifting solutions: Packaging, curating and styling. It’s popularly said, ‘beauty lies in its details’. The brand truly believes that it’s about the art and heart of gifting. Today, it’s not just about what you gift but also how you give it.
TOHFA is conceptualised and founded by Gemini Gupte, a social worker and Tarot Card reader for over 15 years. She says, ”Last year, a pink box gifted by a friend for my birthday stirred the idea of doing something interesting using artificial flowers, decorating the box and packing beautiful gifts. Although I started with boxes, I soon transitioned to ornamenting reusable and eco-friendly trays for all occasions. Now, we curate the gifts and customise according to client needs”.
TOHFA was born out of sheer love of giving unique and beautifully packed items which not only bring a smile but also create unforgettable memories. Average packaging starts at Rs 550 with additional cost for the gifting items. You can place your orders on WhatsApp, email, and follow them on Instagram.
Trendy Jewellery By Erka
Erka was founded by Kanvika Nayar when she was 19 years old. Kanvika Nayar also works as a graphic designer and is a branding expert. She furthermore runs an online education platform Namah for all age groups. The name Erka is a combination of her grandfather and her name – surindERKAnvika.
The brand celebrates jewellery for all age groups with the aim of providing lightweight pieces that are comfortable and super trendy. Getting on board fabric pattern making, Kanvika showcased a unique idea of producing fabric jewellery. She played with patterns like ruffles, gathers, pleats, etc, and matched them with jewellery pieces to create something unique. Erka is Rajasthan’s first fabric jewellery brand and is thus unique in the current market.
The price ranges from Rs 200 to Rs 3,000 as the brand strongly feels that great jewellery design should be affordable and available to all. They follow the code of ‘Responsible Business’. To achieve this they collect the fresh leftover fabric from fashion labs and use the same to create fabric patterns. The brand strongly believes a small initiative taken towards sustainability has a positive impact on the environment and business.
The brand also offers a unique and stunning collection of Indo-western clothing for both men and women. To know more about the brand, visit their Instagram page.
Want us to be VocalForLocal for your brand or know someone whose work you’d like to cheer on? Drop us an email to be featured on The Channel 46 at contact@anvilmedia.in.
