Bagging accolades

Sat, May 3 01:30 AM

She has no fashion degree, nor has she assisted any designer, but still her designs speak volumes and that's why Madonna loves them and London's mega fashion store Harvey Nichols sells them. Meet Nandini Mariwala, the new age accessory designer, who has clientele from Hollywood, Bollywood to royal families around the world.

A believer in destiny, her life took a twist when she was on a trip to Beverly Hills, USA, when a f and #234;ted Pop Diva asked her to design bags. But ask her who that diva is and she refuses to tell.

"It was a mere accident that 'Manaaiki', my label started. While I was on a trip to the USA, I met this Hollywood diva, who liked my work and asked me to start my own label and then there was no looking back.

" Even though her accessories are available at Harvey Nichols in London and a few stores in USA, France and Japan, Mariwala only holds a trunk show for exclusive clients in India, where the entry is by invitation. The bags range from Rs10,000 onwards with those studded with real gem going for a few lakhs.

Her bags have traditional embroidery interpreted in modern and quirky styles. This season, her African wild patterns combined with Italian renaissance and a touch of exotic stones, give the feel of a luxury safari.

The bags are made from corals, shells and silver-plated material. Ask her who is her target clientele and she says, "These bags are for women who multi task and know their sense of style.

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