There are times in life when you have to take a detour because the path which was seemingly easy to chart on (as perceived) was a waste of time and as a natural extension you involve yourself in something where you find creative happiness.
I was very keen on architecture but as luck would have it I landed up with Chemical Engineering. One year into the course and I was not making any headway besides it was something I was certainly not interested in, so I discontinued the course. It was in this time period I rekindled my love for my hobby and started reworking on my old accessories.
Padma
Padma was the first wooden clutch designed by Rachana Design Studio
Post the much needed break up with Chemical Engineering I found a lot of creative satisfaction in my hobby and decided to take it seriously.
Though accessory design comes under the ambit of fashion design, I am not your regular fashion designer who designs clothes, I am very specific about designing accessories and that is what I pursued. It was quite a task for me when it came to narrowing down on a course which specifically addressed my professional needs and then the London College of Fashion happened and I enrolled for a one year specialised course on accessory design.
Stripy
Stripy is a tote from the Lotus Sutra collection
I completed the course in 2006 and came back to India where I started working as a fashion accessory intern with a number of firms, the most notable being Manch Design Workshop where I designed almost everything from as simple as a hat to a ceiling lamp.
After involving myself in a string of internships I decided to start my own design studio and thus Rachna Design Studio was born in 2010.
My product range currently focuses on clutch bags and tote bags which is a perfect jugalbandi of design and style and considering that I have designed a number of them, the possibility of finding that particular bag which will compliment your ensemble and vice-versa is more obvious.
Free Spirit
Free Spirit was one of the totes which featured in the Lakme Fashion Week
‘Padma’ was the first wooden clutch I designed. Unlike the ease with which the design came to my head, the sampling took so long that its journey from design to the final product is very memorable for me; more so since it was my first wooden clutch design.
Likewise ‘Stripy’ one of the wooden clutches from the Lotus Sutra collection happens to be one of my favourite, I love how sleek and elegant this turned out.I was actually inspired by my furniture I saw somewhere!
Aura Frame
Aura Frame has a plain body and colourful
edges accentuated with silk strips and brass chains
My debut at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) was one of the defining moments in my life. During this time frame; I created ‘Free Spirit’ and ‘Oyster’. If ‘Free Spirit’ accentuates its 3D feel with its wings extending beyond the wooden canvas, Oyster captures attention owing to its design.
If the design of the Oyster made a statement on the ramp owing to its wave like pattern, ‘Aura Frame’ caught attention owing to its plain body, defined edges accentuated with elegant brass chains and silk strips which enhanced its look.
Oyster
The Oyster tote was a show stopper at LFW 2013
considering the undivided attention it received
After designing a series of clutches, I wanted to make a fabric tote bag with our much loved Padma print. These bags were so loved that I am planning to have a printed fabric bags line soon under my label.
Material wise I am crazy about wood but with due course in time I have also introduced the functionality of leather, metal and acrylic in this game play. Bling Box, a clutch from my recent Festive Collection utilises a metal mesh and superimposes it on a simple leather flap clutch.
The designs of my products are derived from a number of diverse patterns which I visualise from my daily nuances. As far as raw material is concerned I currently use teak wood and reclaimed wood but as I proceed on this journey I am seriously considering getting involved with bamboo since it is eco-friendly and sustainable.
Contact
web: www.rachanareddy.com
