People mostly preserve memories through photographs. But Pine and Lime – a unique venture by Gurugram-based duo, Aishwarya Choudhary and Ishaan Shrivastava – is helping people map their memories. The duo began with handmade décor guitar shelves in 2018. “But the pieces took time, and we would only take a few orders. In February 2020, while thinking of new ideas for Valentine’s Day, we came up with the idea of using cartography as a medium to store memories,” shares Choudhary, 28.
Both had come across some international brands selling maps as décor, and they fell in love with the idea of stylized cartography. The idea was to create a memory map, marking the spots where their clients had created fond memories. “We made our first Memory Map with two locations, and knew the size had to be small as we wanted people to be able to hold onto their memories. So we started with a 4”x4” frame,” adds Shrivastava, 27. At present, the two are focused on Memory Maps, Décor Maps that celebrate life’s important moments, and Arte Aŭdaca, a collection of time – honoured artworks that celebrate freedom.
“We came up with our version of Memory Maps, and the Decor Maps were based on the feedback we got from people,” adds Choudhary. Shrivastava shares Décor Maps are much larger than Memory Maps and look different. “The Arte Aŭdaca collection curates posters inspired by Parisian art from the Art Nouveau era. It was the era in which posters were born, and art was no longer confined to galleries. The story behind each poster was so fascinating, we felt compelled to share it,” he adds.
You can visit the website and customise memory map using options such as map designs, markers, and captions. All the products fall in the range of Rs 499-Rs 2,799. Choudhary informs that initially, the maps were completely handmade. Now, they have gone half tech and half handmade. “The customisation tool allows you to preview the map in a frame. We have also worked on a feature that allows you to edit your Memory Map up to two hours after you are done with the payment and placing the order,” she adds.
A team of 10, they operate from their workshop in Okhla; also their base to manufacture, pack, and ship maps, all around the world. They even got a machine to create their own frames, after realising “that vendors were giving us low-quality frames at exorbitant prices,” says Choudhary. In the beginning, they took direct orders for maps through Instagram, but went on to create an interface from where people could order easily. “It took us two months to create the website.
The day we launched them in June 2020, we got two orders worth Rs 1,000. We have made 10,000 memory maps till now. February 2021 was our best month so far, as we received 1,800 orders,” adds Choudhary. Shrivastava has a full-time job with Cosm that creates immersive viewing experiences, While Choudhary, a graduate from law school who has worked in the Intellectual Property Rights domain from 2016-19, is fully devoted to Pine and Lime.
“I help with tech and growth, and Aishwarya works on the products and creative direction,” adds Shrivastava, who had met Choudhary at a concert that got cancelled when they reached the venue in Gurugram in 2015. But they stayed in touch, and realised that they had common interests. There is a long list of products in the pipeline; the major highlight being Lub Dub Lamps. “We have launched them on Instagram, and will upload them on the website soon,” concludes Shrivastava.