Ladies Special

Yes, Ladies Special. Guys, I am not talking about the local trains running especially for women. I am talking about an exhibition that is currently happening in Baaya Design (Till August 10, 2015) for which I got an invite from their PR Bhagyashree Shetty.
The name Baaya (sic) Design actually comes from ‘Baya’ or the Indian weaver bird, which weaves it’s nest in a particular way.

This is what Bhagyashree shared by mail:
The festive flavour of the season has set in and Baaya Design brings you the Ladies Special Goodies Express! Gear up to make a statement with the exciting range of designer hand painted and block printed stoles, dupattas and saris, leather footwear painted by hand, block print and silk crafted bags, clutch purses, jewellery and more. Kick-start the festive season by surprising your loved ones with eclectic and distinctive merchandise!
About Baaya Design: Baaya Design store and studio, provides a unique experiential environment, which not only showcases the most authentic arts and crafts from across India, but also presents them in the most innovative manner, that meet contemporary expectations. One can see and purchase /order a customized artwork from over 45 types of arts and crafts, surface applications, installations and lattice work. Baaya Design works with master artisans to create the most enthralling murals, furniture, accessories and lights. Baaya’s designers work closely with customers towards creating theme/size/color based customized applications for interiors. It’s a delight for travellers and tourists to see the amazing richness and variety that are available and made possible using artisan skills.

My Experience: The catch phrase “Where design meets tradition” suits Baaya Design to a T. The moment I entered the store, I was stunned by the sheer number of art pieces on the display. Ms. Shibani Jain is the Founder and CEO of Baaya Design. Shibani has studied design from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. After 15 years’ work with the crafts industry, she came up with a fusion of modern design and traditional art in the form of Baaya Design products. During the familiarization with the products on display, Shibani told us that the designs are given to the artists by her team and the artisans visit the site to transform their non-living raw materials into lively art forms. The site would be someone’s home/office or the store’s workshop.
They currently do not export. Their clients include many Bollywood celebrities and other popular personalities. Shibani through Baaya Design is associated with different traditional artisans like the Warli, the Gond, the Dogra, the Thangka, the Santhal, etc. The paintings from Madhubani, Bengal, Orissa, Nathdwara, Kalamkari, Tanjore, Kerala (Murals), Sanjhi, Sohrai and Saura fascinated the eye.

The Ladies Special event showcased ethnic bags, saris, stoles, mojris, other shoes and chappals, etc. which attract women. Come festivals, which are also considered to be ladies special events, other ethnic stuff are also expected in the store. Shibani showed us some rakhis, which form the all-important representation of the bond between a sister and her brother. She also told us that some more rakhis would be expected the next day. So the later visitors are expected to see more varied stuff.
I was particularly fascinated by a Ganesha idol, where there were 2 Ganeshas – one dancing and the other playing mridangam. I was also attracted to two vessels – one small inside a large one. The shine in both the vessels gave the impression of a water clock! When I took a closer look, I realised that they were just 2 vessels placed one inside other. I also loved the intricate Dogra art panel that was placed inside a pillar right in the middle of the first room of the store. It was also fascinating to note how different artisans interpreted the same design like the tree of life. The design may be the same but the texture is as individual as the artist.

During the time, when ethnic art seems to be dying, efforts like Shibani is doing to conserve them are appreciable. Thus modern designs are helping keep the ethnic art alive.
Price: Rs. 1000/- onwards
Availability: Baaya Design, Ground Floor, A Wing, Prathamesh Tower, Raghuvanshi Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Road, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013 | T: 022 65210165
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/baayadesign
Twitter handle – @baayadesign
Hashtag – #LadiesSpecial #BaayaDesign
Website – www.baayadesign.com