Back to Bandagi

One more week gone, and boy, I had a hectic weekend! I slept for just about 3-4 hours over the last three days. I started work on the next collection of Bandagi, my own accessories line. Bandagi means Worship! I have made some pretty headbands and hair pins, and am now moving on to some more accessories. It has been exhilarating and exhausting. Sunday was for friends, at the Saltwater Cafe in Mumbai. Excellent food. Great company. My breakfast project is going strong. Please check the link above for details and recipes can be found on my other blog : www.lifein2suitcases.com How is your week going? I am gearing up for the Lakme Fashion Week, scheduled for August. This will be a busy month. But I'd rather wear out than rust out. What do you do to relax when life is on a fast track?

Hello Twenty Twelve - Keep thy promise!!!

I know I have started this year a bit late. But a lot has been happening, and a few announcements are in order. First of all, Bandagi- Bling Worship, my own line of accessories did very well in its first exhibition. Thank you all for your beautiful and kind words of encouragement. Secondly, I am poised for one of my life's biggest events. Will let you know more soon. Very soon!

2011 was a year of mixed blessings. It began badly enough with me losing my dad on 15th January, 2011. I cannot believe that it's almost a year now. On a positive note, I finally started finding my little spot of sunshine on the planet. As a blogger and as a designer, I learned a lot and have the blogosphere to thank for the inspiration I found here. Each one of you, a reader and a commenter on this blog, you are really really special to me. You give me a reason to look beyond my day job, and do something different, all for myself. You are beautiful, inspiring and special to me. Thank you for being in my life.

I hope that 2012 will be a year full of happiness and blessings for all of us. I promise to be more regular with posts and make the content of shotcouture engaging and worth your time.

I am posting some pictures of the Bandagi Collection here. Am now working on the next collection for the Brand - Mon Tresor! It will all be about, Love, Hope and life's irreplaceable treasures. Hope it will be a huge success too.

















We shot the above pictures at my Office's Christmas celebration. I am wearing one of my own hairbands. It was such a fun party, with Christmas Carols, plum cake and wine!

And now for the winner of the beautiful Art Meets Fashion bag!!! The lovely hand painted bag made by the young and talented designer Aarti Verma goes to the lovely Cecile!

Congrats Cecile!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. Will see you on the other side of this beautiful Sunday.

Bandagi Launch and a New Year Giveaway!

This Saturday was one of the most significant days in my life. I launched my own line of accessories. The brand is called BANDAGI – Bling Worship. Bandagi means Worship, and I see the brand as a bit of a rebel, a free-spirit out to explore and discover. My first collection was only hair accessories, as I feel the Hair can transform a woman. Also, we have an extremely emotional association with our hair. So I had a small launch event this weekend which did very well. What had started out as a personal passion is reaching out to many women and I cannot even begin to describe this feeling!

To celebrate the successful Launch of Bandagi, I wanted to have a Giveaway. This also gave me an opportunity to get to know one extremely talented lady, Aarti Verma, of ART MEETS FASHION. Art meets fashion is an independent label which deals with Handpainted and Handcrafted Fashion and Home decor Accessories. Every Product is a unique piece of art. Its founder and designer Aarti has done an Art Teacher Diploma from Sir JJ School Of Arts, and then pursued a crash course in fashion Designing. After teaching as an Arts Teacher for a year, she sought to do something more concrete with her inclination to blend art and fashion, and that was how her label was born.
Aarti believes that Art and Fashion have been the twin passions of her life, and every day she grows as a designer, absorbing new inspirations, rendering them into her colorful designs.

She launched Art Meets Fashion just about a year back with just a few handpainted totes, and already the label does tunics, sling clutches, and ceramic jewellery pieces. But Aarti does not want to get into mass production, and likes to keep her designs unique and rare.



For her designs, Aarti is drawn to Tribal Elements, and prefers doing human figures, very bold, Indian yet contemporary. She loves to fuse two opposite elements, whether in the colors, form or even fabric. While she loves color in general, her preferred colors are earthy tones, with brown and black being her favorites. She is also drawn to reds and greens, depending on her mood.



Aarti’s online presence poses the biggest challenge faced by all independent designers: Plagiarism. She continually tries to refresh and renew her designs in order to combat that, but laments the lack of control over theft of her designs.

While Aarti redefines the style platform for others, her own style is pretty eclectic. She loves to mix trends and isn’t afraid to experiment. In her closet, one would find chunky silver jewellery, skirts of all lengths, and a lovely little black dress! When not working, the young designer loves to travel, take pictures of her world, and gorge on Chinese food.

Currently, Art Meets Fashion is available at the unique multidesigner store, Bliss in Mumbai and Pune. The designs can also be ordered at stainedcanvas@gmail.com

Aarti has given a beautiful, hand-painted bag as a Giveaway gift just for the Shotcouture readers.


To win this lovely Art Meets Fashion bag, you have to…
1. Be a follower of Shotcouture on GFC.
2. LIKE Art Meets Fashion Page On facebook

Once you have done that, just leave a message on this post with your name and valid email id. The Giveaway is open to international readers and will end on Friday, 6http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifth January, 2012!

I can relate to Aarti on so many levels. Having just started my own line of accessories, my constant fears and challenges follow the same progression as her. I will be posting more about my label and accessories on my Facebook Bandagi Page. You can see the key pieces from the collection HERE.

Also, a special mention of my Design Da Paura, inspired by the lovely Rachel, of Capturingitaly. The design is crafted from a delicate fabric flower, and is available in two colors, black and purple.



I am so excited about the launch and keeping my fingers crossed that it would do well. Christmas this year has been memorable. I do hope to hear from lots of you on your plans for the New Year. And yes, don’t forget to take part in the Art Meets Fashion Giveaway! The beautiful, hand-painted bag could be yours!