Think of a plush five star banquet, high-end brands and an eclectic theme based decor : that’s Funky Fish for you. After the first two editions of Enchanted Garden and Dream Catcher, this year’s theme was “Patakha Pop”. The brands were a mix of apparel, jewellery, footwear, skincare and sweet treats.
What made this couture event unique was the fact that most of these brands had options for customisation like personalised footwear, chocolates, soaps and food hampers. Also loved that they tried to make it a holistic experience by adding a stall from Tarot Tales. Some of the participating brands were Outhouse Jewellery, September Spring, Weave In India etc.
When you buy something made by a person, there is something special and you do feel it. The consciousness with which a thing is made is often more important than the things itself. Handmade things are so aesthetically pleasing and even the imperfections in them add charm. I never leave a chance to attend any of these expos as it is a sheer delight to witness the rich handcrafted art forms of India.
Look at the beauty of these stitches : whether it is the vivid Phulkari or the intricate Kantha or the graceful Chikankaari, It feels like the colours, fabric, thread and myriad patterns are weaving a story. And each story is unique because a different storyteller weaves it. Enjoy the pictures :
“Jhalak” : A Hindi word which means ‘glimpse’, and a glimpse into lifestyle and societal trends is what I get at these expos. This one was held in the plush banquet of hotel Holiday Inn, Jaipur. With the festive season coming up, it was the perfect place to shop for ethnic outfits, jewellery, accessories, shoes and a lot more.
These exhibitions with their colourful textiles, beautiful ornaments and quirky accessories give you a chance to witness the real India that comes alive in her streets. There were shoes with Ajrakh and Kalamkari prints, Meenakari done on fabric jewellery, Phulkari embroidered bags and so many traditional crafts conceived in a contemporary manner.
Exploring India is incomplete without food and this is where these expos should work on. Jaipur has so many traditional delicacies to offer, adding them would make it an amazing experience.
It was the name Bookchor (Chor = Thief) that fascinated me into finding more about this company. Their aim is to make reading affordable by selling second-hand books at reasonable prices. You get to buy as well as sell books on their website, so increasing reading base without spending too much. Their quality inspectors ensure that the books are in decent condition.
These pictures are from their recent event held at the Birla Auditorium in Jaipur. “Lock The Box”, so all the books that fit in the box are yours. There were three different boxes : Odysseus (priced at 999 rupees and could fit 9-10 books), Perseus (priced at 1499 rupees and could fit 15-17 books) and Hercules ( priced at 2499 rupees and could fit 28-30 books). So you had the option of browsing the entire collection and then deciding which box to go for.
The reader in me was quite excited at the idea of buying so many books at low prices and i was pretty sure that i would end up buying the Hercules box. The exhibition hall was filled with thousands of books and so many readers browsing through them. Alas, most of these were fiction books meant for school/college students and I decided not to buy any of the box. But seeing so many children filling up their boxes enthusiastically was a wonderful sight. More power to Bookchor.
Another expo in the pink city, but with a very elaborate and eclectic decor. Shopping is such a great experience amidst such vibrant spaces and with so many unique things to choose from. It was an amalgamation of apparel ranging from gotta patti to block prints, embellished footwear and quirky juttis, handbags and ornamented clutches, mobile covers, semiprecious jewellery and even some organic cosmetics.
Enjoy the pictures :
We have a separate category for all the expos that happen in Jaipur, here’s the link . Do follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.
Aspiration was one of the first lifestyle expos that we covered for the blog. The decor was vibrant and there were a lot of stalls selling some amazing apparel and accessories. I could not resist the temptation and did buy some chic accessories. This year’s expo had an even elaborate decor and a wide variety of participating shops, though most of the stuff was all about the bling with ornamentation and embellishments. Since there is no wedding that i have been invited to in near future, i did not buy anything thankfully 😉
It is very gratifying to cover the new edition of an expo, which you have covered before. It’s like a journey that you have completed as an experience collector and nothing can be more rewarding. As the name suggests, Lagan Mandap is all about the glitz and glamour of wedding shopping. Here’s the link to the previous edition of this blogpost . This time the exhibition was held on a much larger scale with lots of participating stores and beautiful fresh flowers based decor.
One could find everything needed in a wedding under one roof. There were a plethora of semi-precious jewellery stalls, embellished clutches, sarees, Indo-western gowns, lehengas, footwear and a lot more. Also they had some very eclectic gift wrapping and packing stuff, which is a very important part of wedding preparations.
Continuing with our wedding season series, here are certain pictures from another wedding expo – Lagan Mandap held at the SMS convention centre, Jaipur.
I am an educator by profession but an artist in my fantasy life. There are so many handcraft traditions in India, that i fear one life will be too short to explore all of them. Even if i know i will not be able to explore all the paths, i want to be there! I love the idea that i still have so much to see and learn.
My love for Jaypore and its core philosophy is conspicuously displayed on the blog, it has been giving a platform to so many creative peeps to share their artwork with you. From the past few months, Jaypore has also started conducting expos in various cities of the country. We have already covered their first expo,which was held in Delhi and also a blogpost on what all i purchased from it.
It was Jaipur’s turn to get its share of Jaypore’s magic. The expo was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Narain Niwas Palace. It was such a delightful feeling to witness so many handwoven/handcrafted fabrics like – banarasi, brocade, tussar silk, organic cotton, kantha work, ikat, block prints and so much more. Apart from the fabrics/apparel, there were hand-printed clutches, embroidered bags, silver/tribal jewelry, organic skincare, home decor etc.
The aesthetics of the expo were very charmingly done against a lush green backdrop, here are the pictures-
I have got a severe vacation itch. Some quiet time in a far away land. Hope that happens soon 🙂
Jammu & Kashmir is a shoppers paradise offering an array of ethnic arts and crafts. Be it Jammu, Kashmir or Ladakh – each region has an assortment of fascinating products for shopping. There are a plethora of things to choose from- pashmina and shatoosh shawls, walnut woodwork, handwoven carpets, saffron, almonds and paper mache articles.
Kashida embroidery from Kashmir was patronized by the royals of the Mughal era. It consists of intrinsic needlework in a wide variety of colours and patterns. The tensed situation in Kashmir has reduced its appeal as a lucrative tourist destination. Access to the Kashmiri crafts is now only through exhibitions and fairs held in various cities.
An exhibit of Jammu & Kashmir handicrafts was held at the lawns of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur. Here are the pictures –
Your comments mean the world to us, keep them coming!!
Jaipur’s social calendar is jam-packed with numerous events like – literature festival, handicrafts expo, art and craft fairs, and a plethora of exhibitions spanning across various subjects. Aspiration is one such fashion & lifestyle exhibition held every year at the SMS Convention Centre , which is a spacious and beautiful venue with a regal aura.
An exhibition is in many ways a series of conversations. Between the artist and viewer, curator and viewer, and between the works of art themselves. It clicks when an exhibition feels like it has answered some questions, and raised even more.
Entrance
This was the first time that I got a chance to attend Aspiration, and I didn’t have much idea about what to expect. But it truly was beyond expectations and I did get to see some really creative stuff. There were stalls selling tribal silver jewellery, hair accessories, pearl ornaments, quirky mojris and my most favourite thing- some absolutely chic bags.
Creative decor Pink themed decor in the Pink city 🙂
The only sad part is that they do not allow you to click pictures of the stalls, which I really wanted to. Nevertheless, I have created this post to apprise you about all the fun stuff I purchased.
Loved my shopping spree 🙂
1. There was a stall selling an eclectic mix of hair accessories, which were studded with Swarovski crystals, pearls, beads and other semi precious stones. These were made by NIFT/NID students as part of their projects and one could clearly sense the handmade charm in them.
Handcrafted hair accessories
2. This cute clutch-keychain will be a perfect adornment for all my handbags. It so aptly represents my obsession with bags 😉
Clutch-Keychain
3. We have already done a blogpost on the emerging trend of scarf jewellery and how it creatively combines the functionality of a dupatta and a neckpiece. I bought two scarf neckpieces- blue and white, wanted one in black too but it was sold out.
4. Loved the peacock ornamented on the clutch. Beige colour and mirror work make this clutch a versatile piece which can be carried with a saree or even with a maxi dress.
5. Got these 2 handcrafted envelopes from a stall selling handmade gift-packing material. These were the last two pieces left, I decide to buy both as I am going to use one of them as an envelope-clutch 🙂
6. Last but not the least- This box clutch/sling bag with a refreshing print. I was planning to buy a box clutch from long and this was exactly what I was looking for. I can’t wait to use it 🙂
A crafters blessing- Fabric inspires me. Ribbon makes me smile. Spray paint is a necessity.
Hope you liked the things I bought, do try to visit Aspiration next year. And as usual, keep following us on Facebook and Instagram 🙂
