fresh
passions
Colourful Dreams
Swati Seth puts a fresh spin on Indian
handicrafts, giving them a new lease on life.
BY KRITI MALHOTRA | PHOTOGRAPH ANSHUMAN SEN |
PRODUCED BY RAGINI SINGH
THE BACKGROUND: Swati Seth,
founder and the main driving force
behind The Color Caravan, is
passionate about design and in
love with handicrafts. A qualified
commercial artist with over 10
years experience across the design
and online industry, Seth decided
to quit her regular job and follow
her dreams. “Color Caravan is a
platform for Indian handicrafts
and a link between local artisans
and the urban market. We partner
with artisans, NGOs and Self Help
Groups not only to source
products, but also develop new
products with them,” shares Seth.
ART SAVIOUR: The handicrafts
market is a disorganized sector.
Contacting artisans, collaborating
on bulk orders, and relying on
them to create quality products,
makes this a risky venture. “After
contemplating the idea for months,
with the support of my family, I
decided to take the plunge.” Says
Seth, “The Color Caravan was
born out of my passion for
travelling, handicrafts, and concern
to preserve traditional crafts.”
ROAD TRAVELLED: Her current
collection boasts of crafts such as
terracotta jewellery from West
Bengal, hand-painted
madhubani
kettles from Bihar,
pattachitra
bottles, tissue-boxes and coasters
from Orissa,
bandhej
hand-painted
skirts from Gujarat,
chikankari
from Uttar Pradesh, blue pottery
from Rajasthan and
batik
and
meenakari
from Maharashtra. “Our
current range consists of
accessories, home decor and utility
items from nine states. Since each
piece is handcrafted, there are no
identical pieces,” exclaims Seth.
JOURNEY AHEAD: “We retail in
Bangalore, Lucknow, Gurgaon, and
Mumbai; and also online at
thecolorcaravan.com.
While we have
now launched services for
corporate gifting and personal
usage, I wish to eventually open
my store some day” shares Seth. ■
5 6
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | JANUARY 2012
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