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I chose ‘Eucalyptus’ as my sponsor because they were interested in fresh ideas and were open to my doing innovative and experimental work.
My brief was an open one and my assignment was to come up with newer designs to add to the Eucalyptus’ existing range of products in the showroom. I conducted a study of the infrastructure of the company and current market trends and consumer requirements. I then worked on various fabrics, mediums and techniques (printing, stitching and embroidery) which were available in the company and made smaller prototypes first before attempting it on a larger scale.
I designed three collections: A Black & White collection; A Chindi collection using waste fabrics to develop new products like cushions and coasters and finally, an Add-on collection using dead-stock fabrics in the stores by interspersing them with brighter fabrics that would give a new dimension to the dullness of the dead-stock through color interactions.
A key challenge for me was to develop flexibility in the workplace. I have come to realize that the ‘real world’ is dynamic and that initial project conceptions need to adapt to evolving considerations. Another issue I successfully navigated was engaging artisans, who were comfortable with established, routine ways of working, and got them out of their comfort zone to try out new designs. In addition to which I learned to speak ‘languages’ of different stakeholders – the entrepreneur, the designer and the layman.
It gives me immense satisfaction and pride that the store has started retailing my innovative contributions. |
