JOIN USBags with marine motifs are in
If you have a deep connection with marine life and water bodies, you can invest in bags with water motifs. These serene mementos also make for great heirlooms as they encourage the concept of vintage, which is the true green in fashion.
Made with cloth and conscious leather, these bags are a varied realm in themselves. Designs from the bespoke brand Paul Adams depict a flurry of the shingle, the nodding palms and the shoals of fishes sojourning the seas.
Anshuman Singh, CEO of the brand, says, “What is fascinating is the mystery of the deep sea that stuns, inspires and also stirs us. Bringing these elements into the bags includes this sense of wonder. We use conscious and ethical leather, painting on canvas that is interwoven into the leather using fine art techniques. The paints used are mainly oil, anti-corrosive and enamel, stroking forth the shapes of a seahorse and fronds, and the feel of the sandy rush.”
Most of the canvases are finished with acrylic resin varnish after the sewing, laser cutting and sculpting processes are complete, he adds.
The colours, textures, motifs abound in the fascinating moods of marine — the world’s most exotic shade card.
Tiger Marrón brings fluid shapes in totes and wristlets to bio-mimic the sea world, bringing coral forms and curvatures emblematic of the sun.
“What better way to bring in this new age of dopamine dressing and endless sunny days than to build on the beauty of nature and the sea? There are bags shaped perfectly like the seashells that you would take home with you after spending the perfect day at the beach. In sync with the feel of the ocean and the shells, we craft bags in different sizes: from large to medium to even micro. There are striking shapes in belt bags and shoulder bags, shell shaped, in vibrant hues. Like the marine world, we didn’t stop at solid colours, we integrated textures to reflect the diversity of the marine world. The ‘Bahama Mama’ series comes in numerous textures, prints and colourways,” explains Saahil Tiger Nandrajog, the founder who has collaborated with designer Nitya Arora.
He adds, “As a creative person, Nitya’s happy place is by the ocean and on the beach, and I am a fauna-enthusiast. As a child, I did cancer research too on marine life, specifically fish. We really honed in on our love for all things marine because the beach is a quintessentially happy place for all of us.”
The research and development team brought in elements of sustainability in material and colour management to create durable, novel yet perfectly engineered bags.
“The challenging part is the exact folding, draping and curvature that is ideal to replicate the shapes,” shares Saahil, about the ‘Salty kisses’ theme.
Saahil adds that finding the ratio of needle and thread was a challenge. “We used a variety of needles to assess the cut that looks best for the marine aesthetics. We also invested in new compound-feed machines that have more stability, focusing on the perfect mould, firm structures and on adding great raised metal hardware — that resembles the sharpness of a rocky shoreline, creating styles with silken and perfectly curved handles to symbolise a silky-smooth sunset,” he explains.
The sunshine yellows, bright greens, mossy olives, and earthy maroons abound with contrast piping and colour-blocking symbolise the duality of the marine world. “The prints and textures as well emulate the abundance of textures you would witness in the deep sea,” he adds.
Rima Kapadia and Rashi Maniar founded Oceana Clutches, born out of their love for the ocean and its serenity playing through the waves in their successive creations. Taking trips to the beach and going for long, serene vacations played a huge role and that is what made both of them connect to the beauty of the ocean in a way which inspired them to bring Oceana Clutches to life. “Once bought, these bags will not leave your wardrobe because of how evergreen they are,” they smile.
The forms enamour in the starfish wristlet in denim with a modish, contemporary look. The designs are youthful, fresh and soothing, with locally-sourced beads sewn on with fine detailing. Cool blues and a clever play of textures come into play through the Bora Bora theme. “These themed bags bring in a touch of the organic in plant leather and khadi. These designs are sustainable, stylish and economical. We have brought in the fishbone stitch for making the leaves and coral, also bringing in baguettes, glass beads, Swarovski crystals and thread embroidery,” says Rima.
The takers are many, including actors Sara Ali Khan, Ananya Pandey, Malaika Arora and Alia Bhatt, flaunting the sea in their totes at airports and on vacations.
About the marine life that pops to life on the bags, Anshuman says, “It is that powerful. What you gain from the marine’s infinite bounty and generosity is a plethora of colour options, ethereal textures and crystalline inspirations that stay with you forever.”
Wallet factor
These bag prices range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 25,000.
Common motifs
Favoured motifs on these bag designs include fish, palms, shells and starfish.
Care guide
*Store the bags in dust-resistant bags in the original packaging to retain shape.
*Keep away from the sun and remove contents from within after use.
*Use a microfibre cloth to clean spills immediately.