SCOTTIE by @chiaroscurobags #CoverUp 93 #MadeInIndia

Bag : SCOTTIE in Burnt Sienna by Chiaroscuro Bags.
Long jacket : Raiman
Okudart Sweatshirt : Live Heroes
White tee : Kapda by Urvashi Kaur
Photos by Akanksha Redhu

After Chiaroscuro’s Raisin Gigi, the leather bag featured here, the SCOTTIE in Burnt Sienna, is what I’m currently obsessed with. One of those that will age like fine wine. Each elements from the wonderful grain on the beautifully tan leather, the quality of the construction – each stitch – the number of pockets ( never enough in my opinion – and there’s LOTS in the SCOTTIE ), the ways in which one could carry and style the bag and even the form of the bag are what draw me in. I enjoy looking at how the leather folds and falls and curves and how it catches the blue reflections of the sky and the warm tones of the desert sand. It is supple and makes me want to hug it.

Roomy enough to be a day bag – I carried by D810 full frame camera with the 85mm f1.4 lens WITH hood in this bag – among other items. Three mobile devices ( don’t ask – I was working on an assignment for the LG V20, the HTC 10 I carry because it has all my audio books and podcasts and the Google Pixel cannot handle all the data because limited storage space but I want to use the Pixel to photograph everything when I don’t want the DSLR out of the bag ). A lipstick and one lip liner, a bottle of Otrivin, a bottle of homeopathy meds, a 4-inch diameter round box with my jewellery, cash and cards, a battery bank, one pair of charging / USB cable and one pair of head phones, 3 extra batteries for the DSLR and a fistful of memory cards.

SCOTTIE was with me for the three days of the Magnetic Fields Festival that we just returned from. If I had to – just HAD to complain – I’d complain about the width of the strap. Because I end up carrying so much weight in the bag, a wider strap would’ve been better in my opinion. But not everyone stuffs their bags with D810’s and extra batteries. So if you’re looking for a roomy day bag but don’t want a large tote, this is beautiful.

Chiaroscuro Bags is probably the only #MadeInIndia brand that Naina.co has featured this regularly. I’ve thought about why and apart from the very obvious quality of the products that Smriti and her team create, it is also how Smriti *gets* how branding works. I’m very pleased with how the #NAINAxChiaroscuro partnership is shaping up and eagerly look forward to seeing all the prototypes Smriti is working on at her workshop. If I had to work on a branding gig, the Chiaroscuro features is how I would do it. Photographs of me carrying the bag wearing different ensembles over multiple days – in real life – and not just dressed up for a shoot. Photographs of details of the bag ( I’m going to be sharing those too in a week or so from now. ) – because after all, it is all about the product!

If the product and the brand and Naina.co are not on the same page, there will be no authenticity or room for experiment. Smriti trusts me with her babies and I trust her with my creative space. One of the reasons that works is because we over communicate about how we are thinking, what we would like to do and why and how we’re planning it.

Some more photos of me from the third day of the Magnetic Fields festival, photographed inside one of the courtyards of Alsisar Mahal.

The bag would even work for a semi-formal or work setting, but in that case, I would probably carry it by it’s handle and not hang it on my shoulder by the strap.

You can click on any of the above photographs to view a larger version.

Magnetic Fields is a music festival that is held each year at the Alsisar Mahal in Rajasthan. I carried the SCOTTIE with me because it would have been perfect for my daily needs and it was. The color would fit right in with the environment and I was also hoping the elements and the wear and tear would set it on the path to ageing beautifully.

Other Chiaroscuro Bags featured on Naina.co : Cobalt Little Stella | Indigo Bobbie | Raisin Gigi

You can buy directly from the Chiraoscuro Bags’ website.

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All personal style features on Naina.co here : #CoverUp