As many of you know, Haati Chai is homage to my culture. Jewelry is a staple element of culture and fashion in my native country. So of course when we had a chance to collaborate with my stylist friend Kanika in India I was thrilled.

 

The Gypsy

Theres something about the barefooted trudge, even if you're alone, you're not. The earth envelopes your toes and the hovering rays leave your tangerine skin glistening. Its a queer odyssey, one with no destination. One sun soaked footstep after the other, a heightened trance of wanderlust, where all that you have are the clothes on your back.

 

This nomadic portrayal is a result of the sartorial confluences of two talented designers, Anavila Misra breathes a new lease of life into the traditional nine yards of an Indian saree. She plays with unexperimented fabrics such as linens, all in dusty muted tones, making this outfit of occasion into an ensemble of quotidian nature. Theres a lingering sense of feminism in her designs, the florals might be painterly but project the steely soul of the wearer they effortlessly embrace. Origami-esque pleats sit in tiers atop languid trousers and metallic lamé glints gently through chalky shades of cerulean. A diaphanous tunic resembles a man’s shirt, maybe a souvenir from a forlorn lover.

Complimenting these passionate creations is the ornate finery of Stella Simona’s Haati Chai which means ‘ Elephant tea’ tells tales of Simona’s childhood travels to her ancestral home in West Bengal. The LA based designer transforms elements of kitsch and heirloom by creating artistic jewellery  that adorns every nook and curve of the female anatomy. Trailing body-chains, armlets and rustically beautiful anklets are crafted in shades of dull-gold speckled with quartz and agate. A subtle aura of raw sensuality weaves the aesthetics of the two designers into one. A woman worth every inch of her skin, an attire that evokes mystery and a mind searching for parts unknown.