Little Matchgirls

“The Li girls have evolved since I came up with the idea. First they were more basic and affordable. But it was time to ramp things up,” says Duggal of the girls who are now set against a themed backdrop: these range from rays of the Japanese flag and Mount Fuji to two fighting cocks from China and the Mandarins of yore.

“I created the Li sisters as an ethnic mix of Southeast Asia. They are also a metaphor for life where sometimes you’re riding the wave and at other times you’re washed ashore,” says the postgraduate from the University of Arts,London. The economics of working in India gave Duggal the space to expand and after a stint of designing in London,she moved back.

“I thought of matchboxes because they are affordable and reusable. They have a wide reach,and the aim is to make people smile,” says Duggal who is working on a new line of matchboxes. “Stage three of the project has images in phosphorus: one can light up on any side of the box and the design gets incorporated in the utility of the object,” says Duggal.

Another product worth mentioning are a set of rather risqué table mats whose funky abstractions of Telugu porn films may not be conducive to a hearty meal,but may do well as bathroom art. “We will keep evolving and you can expect a lot more out of our design studio in 2009,” says Duggal,who plans to launch a set of designer playing cards and New Year diaries.

Check out more at http://www.mixedjuicedesign.com