For four years, Rani Pink’s whimsical thematic decor ornamentations has been much in demand within the Indian wedding space. Their use of Indian motifs such as the foil prints similar to Banaras’ Shikargah designs, geometric patterns popular during the Mughal era, in addition to the lavishness of gotta patti, mogras, mirrors, sequins and Indianised tassels. It’s now turned into a more functional, portable, and reasonably priced offering strengthening Rani Pink’s artistic credence. It’s called Rani Pink Gifts, a new segment with nine themes (to be revised every year), bringing together potli pouches, trays, throws, fabric boxes and fabric covers for sarees, dupattas, with each theme being inspired by a craft, technique or both. Founder and Creative Director Anika Dhawan Gupta, tells us about it.
Indian circus
The muse of this theme is her earliest memories of going to circuses and carnivals. At both places, she managed to find chaat and chooran, her guilty pleasures.
Ayna Kari
The Sheesh Mahal at Agra Fort continues to fascinate designers, decorators, writers and photographers of today, and Gupta is one of them. “Ayna Kari (mirror work) is the basis of this theme. It comes in ivory with mirror pieces creating different floral and irregular geometric patterns in our potli pouches, fabric boxes and more.”
Gota
Gupta’s first memory of this embroidery is from her mother’s wedding salwar kameez completely executed in handmade gota. Today she uses gota or lappe ka kaam in myriad shapes and textures.
On the Ghats of Maheshwar
An amalgamation of both Maheshwari cotton silk and Chanderi, the former, Maheshwar town, has always been a place of interest for Gupta, because it was built as a capital by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, who helped many weavers settle in the area to weave saris for the royal household and visiting dignitaries.
The Pink City
After her numerous visits to Jaipur, the city still never seizes to surprise her with something incredible, usually tucked away in a tiny cranny. Not too long back, it was the hunt for one kind of old wooden block motif that she had researched in a “million coffee table books”, only to find it in Jaipur. Check out her block printed products in Indigo and Peach to know what makes these special.
The Silk Route
All the geometric patterns in this collection have been inspired by Mughal architectural impressions and the beautiful Persian tribal carpets that came into India through the Silk Route.
Chand
‘In your light, I learn how to Love,’ Rumi. The emotion strikes a chord like few other things in her life. She still goes week in the knees upon listening to Layla-Majnun tales. This line is envisaged through its colours that are synonymous with the many expressions of love.
Tea, Pearls And Scones
In 1864, Shimla became the summer capital of British India, a place of colonial picnics, grand fetes, balls, plays, cocktail parties, races, polo games and cricket matches. “Women in their silk stockings and oversized headgears, draped in pearls and lace spent many afternoons engaging in social gossip in this quaint hill station. This collection is inspired by the women and fashion of the colonial era.”
Pakeezah
This is an ode to Meena Kumari, Gupta’s icon. The entire collection is made in gold tissue with old Hyderabadi has beaten gota and ghungroos and her love for an ol’ favourite Chalte Chalte.
