Steeped in nostalgia, Bag of Bong makes any Bengali go down the memory lane and revisit childhood that’s all about folktales, favourite characters from a storybook and everything that a Bengali identifies with. Trina Mukherjee, a Mumbai-based true-blue Bengali, started the label last year to capture the nostalgic elements vividly through doodle art.
“Bag of Bong was born out of the desire to create something fresh and out-of-the-box, drawing its inspiration from Bengali cultural traditions. It is an initiative to retell the stories that every Bengali has grown up listening to,” she tells us.
Elaborating more on the philosophy of the brand, she adds, “The artwork is based on Bengali quirk and culture and we aim at bringing this to everyone, more so, to people who are not well acquainted with the same. The core philosophy behind the brand is to celebrate Bengal as seen through the eyes of an artist. For example, we have a Repeat Words series which features fun characters repeating words to depict actions. This is a fascinating aspect of the Bengali language which uses repeat words like Phish Phish, Khil Khil etc. to denote actions. This unique thing is brought out in our artwork with the hope that more and more people come to know about it and enjoy”.
Entertaining, funny and nostalgic, these stories are presented in a brand new avatar, reimagined as art that can be worn to make a style statement. Sample the famous landmarks of the city bordering the soft fabric of a sari or a dupatta or a set of adorable pyachas, owls or wide-eyed fish splashed on across a white short kurta. Trina uses comfortable and soft fabrics like cotton silk and organza for her collection.
Also, she never compromises on the quality of ink, varnish, acrylic paints, fabric paints and pens. Bag of Bong operates online and also focuses on accessories and the options are endless. The range includes quirky and artistically done ceramic wall plates, coffee mugs, wooden coasters, fridge magnets and cushion covers and they easily make for thoughtful gifts.
Price: `1,800 onwards