#CoverUp 61 #MadeInIndia

CREDITS

Raiman by Raiman Sethi : Bandhej Ombre Jacket ( Fabric: Cotton satin with blockprint detailing inside, Surface Technique: Tie & dye (using azo free dyes), Stitching time: 8 to 9 hrs, Trims used: wooden thread buttons (handmade) ) AND Kora Dress ( Fabric: Cotton voile, Stitching time: 5 to 6 hrs ) : Website | Facebook | Instagram

Handbag by Chiaroscuro by Smriti Sain : Cobalt Little Stella ( DIMENSIONS: 21(l) x 17(h) x 10(w) cm, COMPOSITION: 100% Pure & Beautiful Leather, Handloom Cotton Linen Lining, Handloom Cotton Jute Dustbag, ~Workshop Made~ ) : Website | Shop | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Palma Black Shoes ( Leather upper, Leather lining, Leather sock, Heel height 3cms ) by Vanilla Moon by Leiner Shoes Pvt. Ltd. ( founded by Gautam and Deepika Mehra ) : Website | Shop India | Shop UK | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Jewellery by Maharani Baug by Aditi & Abhilasha : Ekta Green Necklace : designed along with their wonderful craftspeople from Telangana! The double knot green necklace is made by melting old currency coins and then combined with a small percentage of silver . This is how the tribals in the area have been making jewellery for centuries. We work with a tribal family and sketch designs so as to make their pieces more contemporary while still keeping the core motifs very very traditional; Tara Earrings; Coin Ring : Facebook | Instagram | Email ( maharanibaug@gmail.com )

Photographs by Bharat

About the #MadeInIndia Feature : I reached out to these brands specifically to put this story together. I prefer to buy local but more than that I prefer to buy quality, regardless of the geographical location. After the #EyesForNewYork project, I realized that while in America there really aren’t many Made In America brands, India has a plethora of Made In India ones. There are many who are trying their hand at batik, ikat and the easier-to-do fabrics but there are a few who are trying and succeeding to produce quality work while keeping with Indian fabrics and techniques but a more complex, nuanced approach than using just batik / ikat. Made by hand, made at production units that are located in India, made by Indian artisans and crafts people and most of all, made with top notch quality in mind at every step. Products I would love to have in my wardrobe. Products I would love to wear again and again.

This is a barter feature. In exchange for this blog feature and social media updates, I asked these brands to send specific products from their lookbooks for me to keep. Some sent what I’d asked for, some sent more, which means I have a couple of pieces for the next #MadeInIndia feature already! Which is great because the above feature took about a month to put together starting from the day I sent out pitch emails to each of the above brands and more. I’m still waiting to hear from a few of the others and will include them in the next feature.

If you or someone you know runs a 1-2 person product brand that fits the above category, please share this feature with them and if they are interested in a barter feature, they can email me on blog@naina.co. Disclaimer : Inclusion is entirely at my discretion, based primarily on the quality of the products and the size of the team as well as how old the brand is – newer brands who could benefit from a showcase on the Naina.co platform are preferred. Established brands are welcome to email me on blog@naina.co to find out more about how much I charge and what kind of stories I can do.

I will also be featuring each product separately so that you can see them up close, in detail. I’m planning to feature one product per week, starting next week. I’m thrilled to be able to close 2015 with the 61st edition of #CoverUp with this #MadeInIndia feature!

UPDATE : 29th December 2015 : Cobalt Little Stella with details and close up photographs is now on the blog.

UPDATE : 31st December 2015 : Bandhej Ombre Jacket & Kora Dress by Raiman Official, details and close up photographs, now on the blog.

UPDATE : 2nd January 2016 : Repurposed Tribal Jewellery by Maharani Baug, now on the blog.

UPDATE : 4th January 2016 : Palma Black Leather Brogues by Vanilla Moon Shoes, now on the blog.