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From being looked down upon by the elite and the sophisticated, kitsch now has a dedicated fan following and finds favour with the youth
Aditi Garg

A term that started out as downmarket and with no class appeal, kitsch has carved a unique niche for itself that draws everyone. Originally used to denote items of art and design that were deemed to be in bad taste due to inclusion of design elements with ill-perceived sensibility and striking colours, kitsch has risen in ranks and has a dedicated fan following, finding space in the most well-to-do homes and even as apparel. It is this very mockery of pseudo-good taste that appeals to people, especially youth.

Clockwise from top: Mocha Bar in Pune, designed by Rahul Gaikwad and his wife, has elements of kitsch; a key holder by Happily Unmarried; a laptop bag; silicone phone covers; and a coin pouch by Chumbak

As a movement, kitsch holds dear a disdain for the seriousness of aesthetics involved in intellectual art and emphasises the need for art to impart unapologetic pleasure using cultural icons. In India, the use of auto-rickshaws, Taj Mahal, peacocks or lotus in vivid colours on cushions, decorative items and clothes, for example, would probably not be considered artistic but are being appreciated. It is this very tongue-in-cheek look at everyday articles that makes kitsch stand out, arrest your attention and invariably, bring a smile to your face.

Youth oriented

One of the first to introduce the concept of kitsch as a fashion statement was Manish Arora, who launched a wave of new-found love for all things Indian with his brand Fish Fry. In 2003 Rajat Tuli and Rahul Anand noticed that there was a dearth of things targeting the young. They say, “A decade back when we established Happily Unmarried, we had nothing particular in mind other than to create products that spoke the language of the youth. Now, with a strong design team to back our vision, we have over 400 products in apparel, home, bar accessories, stationary and lifestyle categories.” Of their most identifiable items are their T-shirts and chai cup shot glasses. It is their interesting use of the great Indian love for tea, play on everyday quotes and a quirky take on common objects that makes them so loveable. They have a presence all over India as stores and kiosks; and people in Dubai, France and UK, too, appreciate their stuff through the multi-brand outlets where they retail internationally.

India Inc.

Sometimes, the best ideas pop into the head when you least expect them. Vivek and Shubhra launched Chumbak in March 2010 after one of their many travel escapades that left them longing for souvenirs and fridge magnets that represented the spirit of India and were fun too. Based in Bangalore, the company was started after a lot of research and passion. Shubhra Says, “We sold our apartment to raise money to fund our project; without knowing that it would only take us six months to recover the money! Initially just three stores sold our products, but our love for Indian things kept us going and growing. Just three years old, we have a following among the young, urban Indians who seek out unusual, India-centric products. Our seven-strong team of designers create products ranging from fridge magnets, keychains, photo frames, coasters, tins, T-shirts, bobble heads, iPhone cases and much more.” They have 120 stores in India and 70 in Japan plus their online store.

Mythologically yours

Design is a powerful tool and the right treatment leads to endearing artefacts. Rahul Gaikwad and his wife started their design company Giant Robots in 2007 in Mumbai and got immense appreciation for their designs. They then decided to expand into spaces as well and launched the brand name Giant Walls in 2010. Rahul says, “There is a lot to discover in Indian mythology and it has been a wonderful journey of creation-based solely on Indian ethnicity. For a long time fashion and lifestyle was ruled by big names and so the standards and styles were restricted. The sleek and clean approach had created monotony and people were looking to spice things up. Hence, kitsch gained in popularity and became widely accepted. For us, the Mocha Bar in Pune has been a proud assignment and among our clients are names like Nirav Shah and Zoya Akhtar.” BUDU dolls from their design company have been lapped up by urban buyers and the mythological series is a favourite.

Riot of colours

When a trend prevails, it is not possible for apparel to be untouched. Even clothes have been transformed by kitsch. Many brands proudly proclaim their cultural connection by surrendering to their enriching imagery and colours. Parrot greens and vermillion reds unabashedly make their presence felt in designs featuring tablas, mixer-juicers, Bollywood stars, table fans and many more interesting motifs. Shreya Jhunjhunwala, a Kolkata-based designer and owner of India Kitsch that started in 2009, says, “While Kolkata had a lot of Indian wear boutiques and western wear stores and even ones where fusion clothing was available, none were into kitsch. The glaring lack of kitsch, celebrating Indian pop, was an avenue I wanted to explore and bring fun closer to the youth. Our array of contemporary Indian and western wear and accessories celebrating the Hindustani flavour validates my education at INIFD, Kolkata. The chaabi (key), dancer and bird print tunics in neons have struck a chord with the crazy dressing streak of the youngsters.”

The quirk click

If you cannot find a bit of eccentric beauty around you; simply log on to the internet and you will be pleasantly surprised by the sheer variety on offer. Websites and Facebook pages dedicated to kitsch in various forms — glasses, clothes, shoes, stationary, curios, furniture accents and accessories are just a click away. Browse through stuff by Happily Unmarried, India Kitsch, Tadpole, Chumbak, The Elephant Company, Kitsch, Funky Things and other brands, each vying for your undivided attention and the only thing else that you need to pair with something kitsch is heaps of confidence.

Facts about kitsch

* The first time the word ‘kitsch’ was used most probably dates back to 1860s in Munich, Germany. The newly created bourgeoisie hankered for cheap and mass produced popular prints and art, leading the snobbish aristocracy to look down upon their taste and referred to it as ‘kitsch’. Its root word, kitschen, literally translates to ‘collecting rubbish from the streets’.

Salvador Dali & Andy Warhol

* There is an Allee Willis Museum of Kitsch where kitsch collector Allee Willis displays her huge collection and it is located online at www.awmok.com

* Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol were considered kitsch during their lifetime and later came to be regarded as high-brow art.

March of the light brigade
Illuminate your home this festive season with imaginatively designed and evocatively scented candles, which add a touch of class to the Festival of Lights
Nutan Sehgal

Their warmth and glow can lend a seductive charm to an evening. These can be used to enhance any occasion, especially the Festival of Lights. These come in all colours and sizes and in various avatars —plain or scented, in jars, as tealights or as floaters. Decorative and ornamental, candles light up homes every Diwali. There is an array of exotic varieties to choose from. The big demand this season is for aroma candles that help you connect spiritually with their fragrance, or even unscented decorative candles that are just beautiful to look at.

Ornamental appeal

Over the years, the melting pot of the candle industry has moulded many a success story during the Diwali season. What began as a flicker of hope to make ends meet has, for the more talented manufacturers, become a raging success even as manufacturers realise that designer candles have an amazing ornamental appeal and are a great gifting option.

Seen as the more attractive version of the ordinary variety, the fancy candle, lit or unlit, is this festive season’s statement for the upmarket segment of buyers. After all, what could be a more appropriate gift than imaginatively designed and evocatively scented candles which add a touch of class to the Festival of Lights?

This festive season stores are offering a variety of candles that not just illuminate the home but also add a new dimension to the festive season. On offer are Feng Shui candles, whose colours and shapes represent different elements. According to believers, the spot in the house where you place the candle determines the effect it will have on the surroundings.

Then, there are large pillar candles used as decorative in the lobby. Also on offer are mashaals for the garden, which are encased in transparent shells that serve as windguards and produce a beautiful glow in a garden party.

Floating candles

For indoors, the preference this season is for floating candles. As the name suggests, these are special candles that float in a bowl of water. These are decorative and provide hours of soothing fragrance and calming light. These are plain yet stylish scented or unscented candles that add a warm flickering glow to a Diwali dinner, or simply as decoratives.

Interestingly, there is also a big demand for aroma candles for the Diwali puja. A refined offspring of the incense stick and wax candle, these usher in a calming effect on people as they pay obeisance to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha.

“Aromatherapy candles, with their gentle glow and subtle fragrance not just relax but can change the atmosphere of the prayer room and help you connect spiritually,” says Vandana Kohli, whose candles are in great demand during Diwali and Christmas.

And if you think that the prices for these ornate four to 18 inch tall candles will burn a hole in your pocket, you are right. You can, of course, draw satisfaction from the fact that candlemakers like Vandana claim to import the raw material — be it the wick, fragrance, colour and even the wax all the way from England or Italy.

Ornamental wax art

It is not surprising then that her range boasts of floating votives and tealights ranging between Rs 150 and Rs 225 a piece, mashaals with citronella oil for Rs. 750 a piece, silver pyramids with jasmine for Rs 1,675 per piece and pillar candles for Rs 1,750. Far removed from the ordinary wax sticks, these appeal to the high rollers who have the money to burn over the flames of these candles, which are virtually ornamental works of wax art.

Candles sold by Delhi-based designer stores like Brighton and Illuminati, too, can literally set your wallet aflame. Their lemon, basil or musk scented tea lights retail between Rs 400 and Rs 700.

Online designer and decorative candle store http://www.houseproud.in has on offer shot glass size Single Kim candles for Rs 1,020 a piece, scented tall glass candles for Rs 1,080 a piece and candles in the shape of animals like sheep, giraffes and elephants at Rs 2,960 for a set of two. Their colourful and attractive candle bouquets can range between Rs 5,890 and Rs 6,320. Casting their spell with every flicker, these candles find favour, especially during Diwali.

But there are buyers for all type of candles: be it the ordinary ones or the designer stuff. Be it Rs 15 a dozen or Rs 5,000 a piece, there’s a demand for both during the Festival of Lights.

So go ahead. Light up and indulge yourself. Whatever the cost, make your world glow with a candle this Diwali.

Diwali candle decoration tips

* A bunch of different-coloured candles of varying heights has a stunning effect on the surroundings.

* Wow your guests with floating votives and tealights. The combination of water and fire is very alluring.

* Use a mirror as a base to enhance the effect of candles. The reflection makes illumination very dramatic.

* Place a floral arrangement around candles for heightened effect. Flowers and candles make a great combination.

* Put large candles in glass containers near the front door to welcome your guests on the Diwali night.

(Top 1) BAOBAB COLLECTION: The Baobab collection comprises a range of coloured and scented candles poured into transparent glass vases. This handmade collection comes in exclusive colours and is inspired by some of the world’s highest mountains like Mount Everest, Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro. price: Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 (2) TRADITIONAL DIYAS: There is nothing more illuminating on Diwali than earthenware diyas made by local crafts people. These ethnic diyas are being revived by clay artist Jasmin Ashwin Popat, who gives them different shapes and decorates them with stones, pearls and mirrors. price: Rs 50 to Rs 1,000(3) CUT WORK DIYAS: Traditional cut-work diyas from Mumbai-based graphic design professional Molisha Solanki are at once striking and unusual. These attractive diyas in vibrant colours of red, green, yellow and blue will blend in with traditional as well as modern décor. price: Rs 150 to Rs 1,000 (4) PORCELAIN TEALIGHT HOLDER: Add a designer finishing touch to your home with this handmade porcelain tealight holder finished with a rim of copper lustre. Inspired by coral to create shadows, its translucent quality is highlighted as the candle burns making the strands glow. price: Rs 3,600 for a set of 3  (5) HAND-PAINTED DIYAS: This set of four hand-painted decorated diyas by www.craftsvilla.com can add a sparkle to your home in the Festival of Lights. You can create a Rangoli design with flowers or coloured powder and place these diyas in the centre for that stunning effect. price: Rs 350  (Bottom 1)) URLI DIYA THALI: Gift your friends this designer urli diya by Aapno Rajasthan. It has terracotta statues of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, along with seven gel-filled diyas. The diyas come with a Diwali card and a Lakshmi-Ganesha silver-plated coin. price: Rs 1,300 (2) ASSORTED LAGOON TEALIGHT HOLDER SET: This stunning set of four tealight holders is from the British handmade glass and porcelain company LSA. Measuring 7 cm, these tealights will add warm tones to your interiors, even when they are unlit. price: Rs 1,600 (3) ELTON JOHN CHARITY CANDLES: The UK-based Nest Fragrances has launched candles to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation Each candle comes in a deep purple, gold crown encrusted vessel and placed in a festive box price: Rs 3,900 (4) ACQUA DI PARMA CANDLE: Bring the festive season alive with the Acqua di Parma Gold Berries Candle. The scented candle ensures a truly sensory experience that permeates in your mind and body. It creates an attractive golden reflection and a beautiful radiance. The candle will burn for an amazing 60 hours.  price: Rs 7,200

Bling it on

HOTEL WITH AN ARCH
That it is counted among the most luxurious hotels in the world is a given but the unique selling point of the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort located near Shanghai is that it is one of the most inimitable structures in the world. The 27-story hotel is built on the edge of Taihu Lake in Huzhou and is shaped like an arch or as the Americans say, a half doughnut. It has 321 rooms including 44 suites, 39 villas, and access to a hot spring. It has officially earned the sobriquet of the most-unique building in the world---a remarkable architectural marvel that gives every room a panoramic view of the expanse of water. 

prices start at around  Rs 49,800 ($830)  a night for a suite.

ROYAL TIME
It has royalty written all over it. Swiss luxury watch maker's new timepiece Secret de la Reine is inspired by the famous portrait Marie-Antoinette à la Rose of the Queen of France who along with her husband Louis XVI was executed during the French Revolution. It is adorned with a cameo engraved rose, which, in the tradition of secret watches, reveals the time. The company's gem-setting skills are also used and amply displayed on the dial and flange as well as on the collection's emblematic bow. The watch which was displayed at the recently concluded Bangkok Central International Watch Fair will be sold in leading watch boutiques soon

price: Yet to be announced

‘SHOT’ OF VODKA
Vodka, say connoisseurs, is like a smoking gun. It is the most potent drink and separates men from boys. Take, for example the 9mm Vodka that comes in a bottle shaped like a 9mm submachine gun menacingly presented in an aluminium flight-case with 4 shot glasses. It is filtered with a 9 micron mesh to ensure purity. The bottle cap attaches at the gun's barrel and screws on and off. Though still in the development stage, the vodka should hit the shelves by the beginning of 2014. Till then you can get your high thinking of the 'gun and case'.

price: Rs 3,600 for 500 ml. ‘gun’ ($60)

FIT FOR CINDERELLA
Step into sheer luxury with these jaw-dropping high heel sandals which are a part of the 2013 Autumn/Winter collection by British high fashion label Alexander McQueen. The sandals made of metal and decorated with pearls feature a velvet block heel with a pearl detail Byzantine gold toe cap, gold heel casing and pearls inset into the platform and around the heel. The sandals are suave and sophisticated and the sparkling transparency of the pearls will make you the cynosure of all eyes.

price: Rs 2.907 lakh ($4,845)

DAZZLING DIVA
Though she retired from modelling many years ago, France's former first lady Carla Bruni is back again in a high-profile Bvlgari Diva Haute Jewellery collection. She says it was her love of jewellery and the persuasion of the Rome-based luxury brand that convinced her to return to modelling “just that once more”. The new Bvlgari collection celebrates the Italy of the 1950s and 1960s and features very colourful stones in chic, refined styles. Needless to say, the Diva collection is as stunning as the Diva herself.

price: Upon Request

RAISING A PLATINUM TOAST
Those who enjoy their whiskey probably know that every second six bottles of Johnnie Walker are sold in some part of the world or the other. Top-end bars around the world have permanent spots reserved for the brand's traditional red, black, double black, green, gold and blue labels. And now a new label has joined the family. The Johnnie Walker Platinum is an 18-year-old Scotch which is sweet and elegant with a subtle smokiness. Just behind the iconic Blue Label, the new blend--the first new 'colour' to be introduced in years--has sent a wave of excitement among Scotch lovers and it is swiftly flying off duty free shelves.

price: Rs 9,400

GOLDEN EYE
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but when you wear the new Ray Bans Aviator sunglasses, the beauty will actually sparkle from your eyes. That's because the new shades are now available in an exceptionally luxurious edition with frames made from 18-karat gold. Though they look exactly like the traditional Aviators which are a fraction of their price, the golden framed glasses are in a limited edition of 1,200 pairs and are being touted as the high rollers' 'ultimate gift of luxury and style'. One look at the price tag and you know what that means. 

price: Rs 2.28 lakh ($3,800)

GOLFER'S PUFF
For some, golf and cigars are the supreme style statement. But if you want to stand out in the swish circles go for the Davidoff's Limited Edition 2013 Club House Toro cigars which are the latest fad of connoisseurs on the fairways. Handcrafted by the brand's tobacco masters, the cigar has been created by mixing rare and especially matured tobaccos that will comfortably last over a nine-hole round. Crafted with a blend of five kinds of Ecuadorian tobacco leaves, these cigars are hand rolled in a specially crafted three year aged Dominican wrapper for that ultimate smoker's pleasure. 

price: Rs 1,320 per cigar ($22)

ENGAGEMENT RING WITH A HEART
Most people associate Chopard with luxury watches but few know that the Swiss company also makes some of the most exquisite jewellery which is a style statement in itself. With its latest diamond ring range it has taken engagement rings to a new level. The new collection presents the Maison's favourite symbol, the heart, and interprets it as a solitaire imbued with a spirit of love and happiness. The haute joaillerie collection will certainly make you feel like a star.

price: Upon request

BRUSH WITH THE PAST
Guys, chuck out those electric razors and shaving gels and take your personal grooming back to basics with the Baxter Safety Razor Set. The German-made set includes a double-edged safety razor, a badger-hair shave brush and a stylishly retro stand to hold both. The razor provides a comfortable shave while that silver tip badger brush evenly distributes the shaving cream. Both handles are made of brass, nickel plated and finished in chrome. The entire experience is a throwback to the classic barbershop of the fifties that promised a luxurious and unhurried grooming.

price: Rs 15,000 ($250)

FRIENDLY OWL
Children need toys that occupy them while supporting their cognitive development. The ixi-play, an advanced robot equipped with face detection, colour and voice recognition responds to that need. Created by Dutch tech start-up WittyWorX it has been designed to actively engage with the child. It can see, hear, feel, move, dance and express life-like emotionS. There is strategic educational content built into it that supports math games and language-learning. It also has a built-in camera that stream to a parent's tablet or iPad. It can also sing a bedtime song or play soothing music. When launched in 2014, it will turn the reel mechanical owl from the film Clash of the Titans into a reality.

price: Rs 18,000 ($300)

PACESETTER Deepa Kiran
She loves to tell a telling tale
Hyderabad-based author Deepa Kiran chose to become a professional storyteller and conducts workshops to save an age-old tradition 
Swati Rai

From iconic mythological tales of MatasyaKanya, and the multi art fusion story of Dashavatara to self-written or adapted humorous tales of The Silly Price of Bondapalli, Deepa Kiran, the professional story teller has many a story gem hidden in her “art with a heart”! 

Deepa has cast her magic not only over children but also adults. She regularly conducts workshops on storytelling as a medium for learning a language, respecting Indian heritage, building confidence, addressing parenting issues and teaching life skills. “I always told stories to friends and family and also heard and read a lot of stories. I noticed that the story bonded me with children. It was then that I began to take my love for storytelling far more seriously. I also realised it brought together all my favourites of speaking, public-speaking, voice, dramatising, singing, classical dancing,!”

It was only when an ailment that was apparently curable but had fatal side effects, which Deepa journeyed through for about six to eight months, did she quit procrastinating and took seriously to storytelling. “I focused on my techniques and on theoretical understanding. I heard and watched a lot of tellers from all over the world and also read resource books and research material on storytelling.” She held the first storytelling camp for children in the summer of 2008 soon after she was diagnosed with the ailment. 

“Fascinated with Indian folk and mythology I was able to weave in all of my learning into a ‘repackaged version of the traditional style’ of storytelling where the storyteller breaks into poetry, music, dance and drama, as she interacts with the audience and relates the tale.” The art of storytelling, according to Deepa has much more significance than just a revisiting of the past and moralistic values. “Leveraging the use of storytelling in training for personality development and life skills is already happening in states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and slowly developing in Delhi, Jammu and Haryana.”

As she says, “It is the easiest and toughest art from at once. It is so easy that’s why all of us can tell stories. It is so difficult to engage an audience with just your voice and words. I love the challenge.” She feels in all other arts one receives and enjoys the art but in storytelling one creates and enjoys the art. She finds it joyful to take people on a magical ride and be a part of helping them to create the journey and also the responsibly bring them back from it.

Ask Deepa about what makes for an effective storyteller and she says, “To be a storyteller one needs to have, a love for telling and for listening to stories, the desire to share them and reach out to people through the medium of storytelling, the courage (or the wish to overcome the fear) to stand up and let go inhibitions and speak, sing, dance, act all of it.” Most importantly, she adds is to have a passion to learn, create and grow continually and have the passion for the fearless pursuit of excellence. “I believe that a theoretical understanding of the art and its possibilities: ‘How it touches lives’ makes one far more aware of this immensely powerful medium. I therefore make this an integral part of my storytelling workshop for educators and parents.” Quiz her about her future plans, and in her words, “To continue to offer storytelling along with the other arts, to children as an experience and personality development process; to adults as a tool for self-exploration and expression; to parents and educators as a medium of reaching out and facilitating the joyful blossoming of childhood.”

There are also plans of building story props, making DVDs, and writing books. “I am looking to work on these gradually. I am also looking at exploring online space to cater to requests from other parts of the world too.”And thereby hangs a tale!