Set up 28 years ago by Meera Mahadevia, The Accessory label, with a slew of handcrafted products – from her famous bags to shoes to belts, has been super successful in breaking through the clutter and establishing itself as an independent luxury brand. Mahadevia speaks about her gradual climb to the top and how Indian craftsmanship is at the core of her creations.

I started my journey as an apparel designer 28 years ago and hosted two successful shows’ – for one, I worked with the khadi material (my father was a Gandhian) and for the other, with a contemporary denim fabric. The shows were held in two different art galleries – Aakar Art gallery and Simrosa Gallery in Mumbai.

The Idea

In those days, I remember seeing women dressed in beautiful hand-woven Indian traditional silk sarees. But they carried international designer bags like Gucci and Louis Vuitton with those traditional sarees. To my eyes, this was jarring. So I started designing accessories that work well with the Indian look. That’s how I created my first bag collection.

About seven years ago, I was among the two designers (the other was Amrapali) showing in the fashion accessory category at the FDCI India Fashion Week in Delhi.

 

Buddhist prayer vessel converted into a unique bag

Creative Inputs

My creativity is rooted in traditional Indian craftsmanship. Slowly, over the years, I have also begun drawing from varied craftsmanship traditions, learning and evolving through my experiences and travels. I have used the traditional craft of Dokra and Thewa and rendered them in a contemporary way. After travelling abroad, I have slowly begun incorporating leather into my collections. I have been deeply influenced by Japanese culture and Buddhism, and have incorporated the design of a Buddhist prayer vessel, the Mandala, into a bag that was covered by BBC. However, the core continues to be Indian craftsmanship.

My bags have been showcased in Japan, Newark and in Parisian art galleries and museums. My two passions are Bharatnatyam and creating bags. Incidentally, my Bharatnatyam practice helps in my creativity.

Thewa Kaam from Rajasthan

The designs

I have been inspired by nature, my dance practice and (India’s) spiritual traditions. After a dance practice session, I find that my mind is empty and absorbs creative ideas and inspirations easily. Still and silent nature also lends a great deal to my creativity. My husband is an environmentalist and we travel a lot to explore nature. In Japan, when I was exploring the Shinto temples, I found a lot of inspiration in their spiritual ambience.

Marble Inlay work on a Clutch

Jewelry

I began designing jewelry about eight to ten years ago, and the response has been amazing. I create semi-precious jewelry. Women have a wonderful relationship with jewelry and our ornate designs get a good response.

In Japan, for instance, our ornate jewelry has done very well. In Singapore, we had a show with Indian Merchants Chamber where are our sling bag collection did quite well. The slings of these bags, incidentally, were like a piece of jewel and could be removed and worn around the neck.

Carved wooden handle with Kashmiri Crewel Work

Marketing the Brand

Initially, we grew the brand by word-of-mouth. Later on, I reached out to more clients through designer boutiques like Melange and Ogaan (in Mumbai). This was the time when the boutiques had just been set up.

Semi Precious Stone over Dhokra Metal Work

The Digital Strategy

The response to my bags has been great online. We are selling on various portals, including wedding portals. Initially, I made ornate bags but now my bags cater to all tastes – pret, fusion and high-end. We boast around 75,000 designs.

We also can create bespoke designs, like we did for Freida Pinto for one of her red-carpet events. Again for that bag, we used traditional Indian craftsmanship.

Silk Clutch with Bidri Work Horse Head Dagger

Competing in the Global Market

I have never been inspired or threatened by international brands. My USP lies in my Indian-ness. I am very happy and proud to be Indian. The intricate, detailed work is my creations make them unique and special. I use different aspects of Indian craftsmanship like wood carving, thewa from Rajasthan, inlay work from Agra, Bidri from Karnataka and Halkari gold leaf work on semi-precious stone from Rajashthan to embellish my creations.

For more information – http://www.meeramahadevia.com