Forward Carry

Meera Mahadevia may not be a well-known name but if you frequent Melange, Ogaan, Ffolio and Piramyd then chances are you have seen her wo...

Meera Mahadevia may not be a well-known name but if you frequent Melange, Ogaan, Ffolio and Piramyd then chances are you have seen her work. Or, own something made by her. Called The Accessory, Meera8217;s company specialises in making handbags. Not just any handbags, though. All her designs have a traditional Indian twist to this jhollah. quot;We have a rich textile heritage and I find it strange that when women wear Kanjeevarams or Tanchois they always carry a leather handbag. A more Indian-looking handbag completes that look better.quot;

A graduate from Sophiya8217;s fashion course, she had been designing salwar kameezes for a few years before she turned her hand to bags. quot;I had a few exhibitions and they went really well. But so many housewives were designing clothes that I felt the market was saturated.quot; And so seven years ago, the 37 year old shifted her focus to bags. It began by working out of home and soon, she found herself supplying to Sangeeta Kathiwada8217;s Altamount Road store Melange. quot;Sangeeta was veryhelpful. And we worked on a line that fitted in with her eco-friendly store.

It was mainly in muted and earthy tones.quot; In fact, Meera was one of the first designers to work with the store when it opened six years ago.Soon word about her line spread and today, Meera supplies to stores in Calcutta, Delhi, Madras and Bangalore. quot;I tend to alter my designs to suit the city I am designing for. For Delhi, in December, I make jamavar bags to match shawls. For the South, I use vibrant colours.quot; Which is why her price range varies from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000.

Research also leads Meera to join her husband he supplies uniforms to the defence industry in his travels around India to source raw material. For instance, her enamel work comes from Fatehpur and her embroidery from Kanpur. Special attention to detailing is also paid and Meera likes to concentrate on the handles of bags 8212; often using beads and even silver anklets in some pieces. This time8217;s collection includes crochet and mirror-work. Each bag is alsofinished with a small silk pouch with a mirror tucked inside it. quot;I have found some amazing craftsmen in the interiors of India.quot;

Though Meera mainly does trousseaus, she feels that her bags go very well with western clothes too. quot;If you accessories a black dress with full Indian accessories it gives a really different and interesting twist to the outfit.quot; In fact, Meera wishes that more designers would concentrate on accessories. quot;It is really neglected here.

Fashion is so much more than clothes.quot; It is also about expansion and export. With India being chic abroad, Meera has started to export her desi designs. And talks are on with an upmarket store in London to set up a retail counter. Today Meera has shifted out from her home into a larger space in Lalbaug. And has acquired a better business sense. quot;I can watch over my workers better in my workshop.quot; It8217;s handier too for the handbag lady.