Prevention with patriotism

BENGALURU: A visit to Lalbagh flower show, brunches with Independence Day theme, and of course, watching the I-Day parade. While none of these may be possible this year due to the pandemic, you can mark the occasion with I- Day-themed masks. Launched by Gehna Manglani (21) and Nihal Manglani (26), who returned from New York and Melbourne, respectively, the new collection under the brand Doori includes masks for adults as well as children, priced at Rs 450 for pack of three.

While a pack for adults comprises three solid colours, that for kids has two printed ones, and one in a solid colour. With people getting out of the house a lot more, but at the same time festivities being subdued, Gehna points out that the masks are meant to give a festive feel.

While the initial idea was to make tri-coloured masks, some brain storming later, they felt it might not go down well with people’s preferences. “So we decided we would create a collection which isn’t too loud,” says the student of Parsons School of Design, who plans to return to college in January.   

Not sure how people will react, Nihal adds, “This is our pilot project and we are trying to do something different.” With mask makers mushrooming, the duo has also had to figure out how to stay ahead of the competition. “There’s a new player coming up with something new every day. So it’s important to stay up to date. Honestly, neither of us had anticipated the shape our initiative would take,” says Gehna.

In fact, actor Varun Dhawan recently posted a picture on social media, wearing a mask from their new range of blue masks. Coming from a family involved in garment export, with a unit in Koramangala, has helped her in finding her feet.  “At times, we need help with fabrics, colours and suggestions, and having a team to fall back on is comforting. I find the process therapeutic, and it’s a learning experience,” she says. 
Going forward, the cousins plan to bring out masks for festive occasions, including the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepavali. “We are trying to find out how people dress, whether they would wear a shirt with cracker motif on them, to understand what their choice will be,” Nihal says.