Chip off the old block

Wood calling

It’s a double whammy; rain and chills have invaded Bengaluru together and most of us are thinking of ways to keep ourselves warm — snug jackets, hot coffee, comfy shoes....and wooden accessories. Yes, wood can be used to light up your lives in more ways than one and this is indeed the perfect season to ditch those cold, metallic accessories and go the natural way.

Wooden fashion accessories, though having been around for long, are slowly climbing up the fashion charts in the recent times with newer and quirkier adornments being designed for the experimental customer. And this trend is not limited to just jewellery.

Offbeat options like sunglasses, wristwatches and even bow ties are making waves this season and rewriting the rules in the world of accessories.

Says Mamtaa Gupta, founder and owner, Buzzaria Dukaan, “Fine wooden pieces of accessory are much sought-after since they are both fashionable and versatile. Since wood depicts class and finesse, these accessories are trending nowadays. One of the main reasons why people are buying wooden accessories is because these are light weight, easy to maintain as well as easy to carry and store. Apart from that, the accessories are unique looking with the added advantage of being eco-friendly.”

“There is so much of plastic and ‘made in China’ around us these days that it is kind of a relief to wear something handmade and solid,” says Meghana Khanna, the owner of ‘Levitate’, a store that has been focussing on these kind of products for the past 15 years.

“And wood does not mean it has to be boring. It can be plain, embellished, engraved, carved — the options are many,” she adds. So do people think twice before picking up something like this? “It all depends on the person,” explains Meghana.

“90% of the people don’t want a wooden bangle but the others realise the kind of effort and workmanship that has gone into that artefact; it is nothing short of a statement in itself. The demand has definitely picked up over the years and nowadays there are more and more designers coming out with interesting variations in wooden accessories.”

A fusion of old-school craftsmanship with contemporary fashion, these accessories make use of different types of wood. From Rosewood and Sandalwood to Ebony, Mahogany and Teak, anything can be used to create a stylish add-on for the metropolitan individual.

“Wooden heels were always a regular on the ramp and it was only a matter of time before the material made its way into other spheres of fashion,” says Meenaxi Bhattacharya, a professional.

“So while watches and eye frames have turned wooden over the years, it is now the turn of handbags, brooches and bow ties to go the same way. It is natural, non-toxic and gives an earthy feel. What more could you want,” she says. Judging by the numbers that this category boasts of, it is evident that quite a lot of people agree with Meenaxi.

“This has been a fast growing category for us. There is a specific section of customers, especially young college going girls, which demand wooden accessories. And this category is only going to grow with the years,” says Mamtaa. It may not be long before all the furniture waste in our country gets transformed into striking embellishments. Now, that ‘wood’ be something.