This LFW designer makes jewellery out of ballpoint pen waste, AC pipes and even gas burners! 

Would you wear a pendant made out of pipes from an air conditioner? Fancy a long chain made out of ball point pen water, or even electrical switch waste? Taking sustainable fashion to a whole new level is LFW designer Gaury Kirtikar Pathare, whose label Wandering Whites will be in Chennai, for an exclusive event display, with her latest line of handmade jewellery, fashioned with elements that are all unconventional.   

While Gaury started off as a photographer in the industry, it wasn’t until 2013 that sh e started designing jewellery. “I did advertising and some editorial photography, and I used to travel a lot,” says the 39-year-old, which is perhaps why she named her brand Wandering Whites. “I am a true blue mountain girl. So I’d hike to places like Dharamsala, Spiti Valley, Leh and Ladakh, and pick up different stones on the way. I was so fascinated by the varying white shades and shapes,” she says adding that she started visiting junkyards and kabbadiwalas and found waste that she could pair with her pieces. 

Gaury goes on to explain how her pieces will always have two elements — a solid side and a fluid side. So if one half of the piece is bold and solid like the part of a machine, the other half will be delicate and flowy, like chains or beads. “It’s a projection of my perspective as an artist,” she says adding that, “It’s like Shiva and Shakti. There’s a feminine side, and a masculine side. And, I try to find the balance in the piece.” With 15 limited pieces , it is interesting to note that no two pieces are the same. The LFW designer invests a lot into one piece, and apart from the one assistant she has, she works alone. 

What’s more surprising is that she doesn’t have any formal training, and it all started with DIY videos, a video format that’s picking up on the internet today.  To date, she has made over 700 pieces, all an extension of that first line she launched, and in a way, an extension of how she has evolved as a designer. For this collection, she has used ballpoint pen waste, and even electrical switch waste. Gaury has been working on her next collection, with Nettle, an organic natural fibre at its core. She is also working with bones, leather and driftwood along with metal waste. The entire line is inspired by the Naga way of living, and their lifestyle as well. She is also working on a collection of nine pieces in Vancouver and San Francisco.

Till November 10. At Poes Garden.
Neckpieces from `1,950.
Bangles from  `850.