How did the 'rickshaw' become the inspiration for this handcrafted designer bag brand?
Tracing the heritage value of a rickshaw and turning them into modern functionality is the core thought of behno, New York’s FW25 collection, Rikisha. Spilling the beans about the new collection is founder and creative director Shivam Punjya.
Excerpts:
Tell us about Rikisha.
The collection draws from the cultural and emotional arc of the rickshaw. It honours age-old ingenuity, mobility, and resilience while translating those ideas into sculptural, functional leather forms designed for modern life.
How did the Rickshaw inspire you?
It is a rare object that has spanned class, geography, and time. Born as a symbol of privilege in 19th-century Japan, it travelled across Asian cities, adapted to local needs, and became woven into the everyday psyche of urban India. It threads together invention, labor, aspiration, and social change, making it a deeply human object to design from.
Rickshaw is a heritage transport; how does the collection uphold heritage?
The narrative in the collection foregrounds the rickshaw as an emblem of tradition, storytelling, and vernacular ingenuity; from hand-pulled rickshaws of Kolkata to cycle and electric rickshaws of today. We wanted to translate that heritage philosophically: Honoring adaptive craft, everyday resilience, and the quiet heroism of workers, rather than just aesthetic pastiche.
How have you chosen the colour palette?
A lot of the colors were drawn and inspired from the interiors of the fun rickshaws I've sat in. The palette leans into grounded, urban, and autumnal tones that echo both the cityscape and the patina of lived heritage: Brick, Clay, Ocean Blue, Fern, Bisque, and Black.
What kind of fashion styling goes along?
The bags in the collection can be paired naturally with clothing that is architectural, minimal, and function-first: Long coats and tailored suiting, structured knitwear, column dresses, and clean denim, monochrome or neutral layering where the bag is a form accent. The bags behave like shape punctuation; they sharpen a look rather than decorate it.
What two tips would you give for bag care?
Always store your bags in a dry (low moisture) environment in the protective dust bags they come with, and use leather-appropriate cleaner when you need to spot clean.
Three things always found in your bag.