KOCHI: Tirur based young fashion designer Anusree A is giving neckpieces, anklets and earrings a chic and bold approach. Through her online fashion boutique Prapthvi, Anusree introduces print fabric, hand-painted and leather jewellery. An alumnus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Chennai, Anusree stands out for her environment-friendly, affordable collection. She has experimented with bright hues and unique hand-painted motifs.
She uses sustainable materials like cotton Kalamkari cloth, beads, scrap and recycled leather. The pendants come in vibrant colours like red, green, yellow, bright blue, violet and pink and offer a chic look when paired with traditional or casual outfits. “Being a fashion enthusiast, I used to design my jewellery to match my attire during functions. My friends saw this and requested I make a few for them. This prompted me to resign from my job in a Bangalore-based fashion company three years ago and take up the brand. It is easy to care for too,” says Anusree. Some of her contemporary fabric designs were inspired by Kathakali, tribal, theyyam and other traditional art forms.
Leather jewellery, especially neckpieces, are the most popular among women aged 30 and above. “It is time-consuming to create one. I sketch the design on scrap leather and then shape and hand-knit the piece. The same goes for hand-painted fabric jewellery. Later, they are decorated with silver trims, gungroo beads or shells,” she says.
Customised hand-painted designs and earrings combos made using kalamkari and indigo fabrics are also available with Anushree and are a hit among young mothers. “One can try normal hand wash on the fabric jewellery pieces if they are stained accidentally,” she adds.Prapthvi’s anklet collections are also in vogue. They are a mix of Indo-Boho style with single and multiple beads, kalamkari designs, oxidised silver prints and single gungroo bells. p.r.a.p.t.h.v.i on Instagram