You heard that right - The Bestsellers are BACK IN STOCK!!!!

When we decided to reboot our little FuSION ROOtS this year, we went around doing a little survey on our products - which ones to retain, which ones to expand, which ones to add new and which ones to part with. Though, we eventually decided to not part with anyone as that would go against our whole philosophy of keeping the Indian handicrafts alive! So even if few products are less appreciated by the customers than the others - we have decided to retain them all.. 

But, just as proud parents - we want to flaunt our Bestseller Babies.. And reiterate to the world that they are back in stock.. So anyone interested.. Please hang in their till the next post where all the links and address will be provided for you to indulge in some retail therapy.. 

WOODEN CHESTS!!!

DOKRA JEWELRY!!!
I can assure you that this time we have the widest range of our ever so beautiful - Dokra Earrings!!

Watch out this space for more updates.. As there is lot more in store!!! 

New Year High!!

We are not even a month into this New Year and I am ready to announce it as the best year so far. So much positivity I tell you! We began with introducing our latest range of Wooden chests for which we received an overwhelming response; which was then followed by some really touchy answers to our New Year's Contest; then of course, my birthday; and finally meeting a lot of new artisans, understanding their craft and spreading the word louder.

Each time I meet a new craftsman, I fall in love with my work all over again. The insecurity in their eyes, pulls me closer to them. I can feel their concerns, the discrimination and exploitation they are going through and the sheer helplessness for being unable to save their heritage, their ancestral skill. And for me, the feeling that I want to stand up for them and change their world becomes stronger and stronger. If I could, I want to personally go upto each person shopping in the malls, spending lavishly in their pursuit of branded goods and shake them up, to remind them of what India has to offer and that these goods, if not branded, are still at par. Rather, most of the times, more attractive, colourful and with unique characteristic features.

Today, I am very proud to announce that this month will see us adding a lot more to our range... Because this means catering to a lot more people and a lot more job satisfaction...

 
Woohoo... Cheers to that..

Just a sneak preview ... Minakari work on copper .....

Do leave a response ... It's the appreciation that matters the most...

New Year Contest!!!

We didn't actually know what we were getting into when we first announced our New Year Contest!!
The contest was that people should send us the name of their favourite product from our list and the reason for it to be so. And in return, we would chose the best answer who would receive whatever they have chosen.

When the first entry poured in, just half an hour after the contest was announced, we got thrilled. We knew we had great products and people did actually love handicrafts. But little did we know that we had reached just the right people. Entries started pouring in. And we were overwhelmed!!! It kind of reassured us that we were doing right! That we had chosen just the right products and our noble deeds were indeed getting noticed and more so genuinely appreciated!!

Finally the New Year arrived. We had so far received enough entries to feel on the top of the world, but it was time to announce the winner. And we just knew who it was. Actually in hearts of hearts I knew it since the time I first read her mail. But we were still hoping to find some one a step ahead.

But eventually it turned out to be her only.

Here is the answer - Check it out for yourself -

So hearty Congratulations to the winner and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

December 2011 Over view

This month has been awesome so far... and it can only get better with the New Year's Eve round the corner!!!

This month saw us participating in an event called Volume Kam Kar with our the most favourite retailer, friend and support - BLISS (https://www.facebook.com/Xperience.BLISS).

It is always good to be in the company of the Great. In their courtyard for those two days, 23rd and 24th December, we got the oppurtunity to meet many other young minds and bright entrepreneurs.

In spite of that, we didnt fail to make our mark! And that's only because of the uniquely handcrafted products that we proudly promote.

Leaving behind some picture and cherished memories.... Cya..

Chamkari Leather Hangings from Andhra pradesh hangs there with quite some elan`.

The Dokra Judda Pins have always been our best selling item. And will always remain to be so, owing to it's colourful beads and the fusion of utility and aesthetics.

It's been really long... no posts and no updates!!! But that doesnt mean we have been lazying around. Diwali and Christmas have kept us so busy exhibiting at various places that it simply left us with no time. But that's definitely no reason to not update the blog... Sincere apologies!!!

But have you noticed? We celebrated our anniversary this month.... Woohoo... It's been a year, and we have indeed come a long way!!

If not much, let me give you a sneak preview of our latest arrival - Wooden Chests with Ceramic Drawers. This has been their season 2 of sorts actually.

To pick one of these now, visit http://shopo.in/shop/fusionroots and pick the colour you love the most. HURRY!!!!!!

FuSION ROOtS launches it's online shop today. 

A Sneak Preview into all our available products....

Doesn't it look exciting? Then, what are you waiting for?

Quickly go to the following link - http://shopo.in/shop/fusionroots .... Gift art this festive season!!! Enjoy!!!

New Home Decor Range

Sneak Preview into our latest range of home decor stuff to be displayed at the Fashionistore, 2011.

Venue : ISTA HOTEL, Yerwada, Pune
Dates : 9th and 10th September, 2011
Timings : 10 am to 6.30 pm

Lambani Jewelry

Lambani Jewelry has been a part of Fusion Roots accessories collection for a while now. Since the day one of displaying it, it has often captured everyone's attention and especially been the favorite among women. 

Discovering DOKHRA JEWELRY

 

Little did we know while walking into the Nehru Exhibition Centre that day, that we were going to find our bestseller today. We were at that Jute Exhibition only to pick more of those beautifully handcrafted Jute Lamps(will discuss more about it in my future blogs), but what caught my attention was the uniquely hand crafted neck pieces.In spite of not being a jute product, they were a part of the exhibition because they were from West Bengal.

That was the day when we first met Mr. Ratan Shan, who has now become a part of my speed dial list. When I went to his stall, I instantly fell in love with the jewelry that he was selling. It was the most unique jewelry I had ever seen. Didn't bother much about asking him on the details of the art, but just quickly picked up 25 pieces of every product he had. On a very bad day at an exhibition, he was ecstatic to have found us. But it was only later that we realized that it was we who were lucky to have found him. We always have an order for him, and he never fails to please us with new designs or color combinations. 

But what is this jewelry ? And why is it named Dokhra? 

The Dokhra system of metal casting is one of the oldest form of metal casting and is technically known as ‘cire perdue’ or lost wax process.  The nomadic tribes which have now settled in Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum and Midnapore districts of West Bengal use this system to make tribal jewelry and provide a living for themselves. Under the guidance of Ratan Shah – a local artist himself, we have a group of displaced tribal women working for us. It is he who has gathered these women, trained them (though most of them inherit the skill from their mothers) and marketed them and this form of art.

As he often tells me, each of these women have some or the other problem in their personal lives. And the fighters that they are, they manage their households as well as earn a living for their families with always a smile on their face. Women in the rural India go through a lot more than us and are way more capable of dealing with such crises. Though we often say women are becoming equal to men.. But if we were to just peep into their lives once, we would never deny that they aren't becoming equal but are obviously superior.

Just to help you with the list of products and their rates :

Earrings : Rs. 100 a pair

Judda pins : Rs. 100 each

Threaded neck pieces : Rs. 250 onward

Chunkier Necklaces : Rs. 350 onward

Our search for new products has begun

The first six months transformed us completely - From a new brand trying to promote Indian cotton bags and Khurja pottery, we became a proper parallel brand with the bigger mission of promoting handicrafts.

It makes me proud when I read out our long list of products and the artisans we cater to. And once again, I will grab this opportunity and paste our list here again!

Currently, we are promoting the following :

Papier Mache from Kashmir
Suede bags with hand embroidery from Kashmir
Khurja Pottery from Uttar Pradesh
Wooden chests with ceramic drawers from Sahranpur, UP
Kathputlis from Gujarat
Wall hangings and danglers from Gujarat
Blockprinted bags from Gujarat
Pattchitra from Orissa
Jute Lamps from West Bengal
Jute Bags from Bengal
Dokhra Jewelry from West Bengal
Terracotta jewelry from West Bengal
Leather puppets and hangings from Andhra Pradesh
Lambani Jewelry from Karnataka
Terracotta penstands and vases from Maharashtra
Handmade paper products from Maharashtra
Madhubani Paintings from Bihar

Yes, we actually have this fusion of products, for the sole reason that they are all handicrafts rooted in India. The idea is to not let these special skills die. These in a certain way, represent us, our culture, but unfortunately it is slowly dying. And, we at Fusion Roots believe in preserving these art forms and giving these artisans a platform to showcase their unique talent.

There are a lot of other things hidden in the rural India, and we want to get it all. Next on our wish list is either Bamboo or Cane products from North East India. Also, there are so many things we don't even know about. As we explore our rural areas further, I am hopeful we will find so much more that will be shocking as well as equally beautiful.

If there is any idea that anyone has, please share it with us. Also if there is any particular artist you know,  we will love to promote them as well.

Oberoi Mall... Here we come

Months have passed by, seasons have changed ... and so have the products at Fusion Roots...

As we had promised, we have brought together handicrafts from all across India and have been promoting them under our brand... But there was one thing we lacked so far.. proper visibility !!

Ofcourse we were retailing @ Bliss, Versova and that gave us a lot of boost, as also the jig at their Flea Market created a lot of awareness about our existence. But the time had come for us to grow, and grow to a level where  we cater to the crowds we had aimed for and actually be at an urban hub and promote our stuff.

And that's exactly the kind of platform we have @ the Oberoi Mall, Goregaon!!! Amidst all the brands and heavy retail chains, we, the team of Fusion Roots will have our little corner with our beautifully handcrafted products. Being under the same roof as the bigger players, will give us a fair chance to promote our mission and get our artists and craftsmen the promised recognition.

Really excited about the month long display @ the mall on the ground floor, outside CCD... Hope to see a lot of u there....

Fusion Roots' Development

Celebrating 3 months in the business, Fusion Roots has definitely come a long way.

As i look back, I still remember how unprepared I was for my first exhibition and yet the positive attitude helped us sail through. We started only with bags. I used to get fabric from Mangaldas market and get my designer bags stitched by our tailoring unit in Malad. Then, came Khurja pottery. How casually i had asked Kartikeya about his dinner plate. And then how it became our company product was so quick! The first consignment from Khurja  came in two days prior to the exhibition. One other product that was going to be displayed at the exhibition was paper earring. Me, my mom and my friends were all quilling paper and making colorful earrings out of them. The logo was finalized and the visiting cards were printed. We went and purchased paper and other stationary a day before the exhibition. We may not have had a huge capital or the best of resources but we definitely had our clarity of thought. We knew exactly what our company policy would be any where would we be few years from now. My sheer love for handicrafts had made me quit my job and start this company. But honestly wouldnt have come so far without my family and friends.

Since then, we have been adding products all the time. The idea was to go to remote places in India and getting unique handicrafts from all over India and showcase them in the urban landscape. And we are doing exactly that. In a span of three months, we have covered more than 10 states. And slowly wish to cover the whole of India. And as we are growing, meeting new people, knowing about their craft, appreciating their products; the more we are loving India for it's culture. India has so much instore, but it all gets lost int he population of the country. Especially in the urban areas, people are so busy and so highly influenced by westernization that there is no time and intention left to appreciate Indian art. This is the challenge we have to overcome.

Looking forward to promoting more products and sharing more experiences with you'll.

Jute Bag Collection

Due to the overwhelming response of the visitors to the Jute bag in our previous exhibition, we decided on having an entire range of Jute Bags only!!

Colourful jute bags in various shapes and sizes are going to be one of the highlights of our stall this time!!

We not only have embroidery on them, but also unique animal prints to make them trendy yet high on utility!!

If Jute excites u, then please visit us at our stall in the ICE Mega Expo Exhibition at the Bandra Reclamation Ground, starting from 23rd Dec to 2nd Jan.

2nd Exhibition @ Bandra Reclamation Ground

Yeppie!!! Yes we are going to be there again!!!

My second exhibition with wider range of products - More colourful jute bags, designer bags, wallets and pouches and Khurja pottery (Most colourful mugs - especially on public demand) !!!!

Event : ICE Mega Expo Exhibition
Date : 23rd Dec to 2nd Jan
Venue : Bandra Reclamation Ground

PAPER EARRINGS

First exhibition ever!!!!! PICTURES!!!!!!

First Collection of Handmade Designer Bags

Embroidered Chiffon Bags

BLOCK PRINTED SLING BAGS

Small Handbags

Colorful block printed Wallets

First exhibition ever!!!!!

Forms have been filled and DDs have been signed and moneys have been deposited and that's when the feeling has finally sunk in - Yes it is really, actually happening !!! But what is this IT ??? IT is the first ever exhibition of Fusion Roots products!!! Yeppie!!!

Venue : - Nehru Exhibition Centre, Worli, Mumbai.
Dates : - 9th Dec to 13th Dec 2010
Timings : - 10 am to 7 pm

Just thinking about those final days, makes me such a proud mum!! But all this is possible thanks to few wonderful people, my absolute support system, who happen to be my family and friends!!!
Mom and Dad
Soni, Jalpa, Dolly, Chintan, Ritika, Salonee, Kartikeya, Bhavin and all my dear karigars...

Thank you all!! Had it not been for them, I wouldn't have been able to take this huge step ahead!!!!

Photo shoot of products on 3rd Dec and pictures of products will be posted on the same day!!!

Till then ... keep blogging!!!

Inspirations in Indian Colors

You don't realize it unless you bother to observe - India is the most colorful country in the world. Actually we all know it say it all the time, but how much do we value it. With globalization, rather westernization, the one thing that we are losing out on and not observing are the colors of India. On the whole, with colors a lot more, but my concern today is about the colors and prints! There are many out there addressing the bigger concerns but I'd like to stick to this one. 

It was while picking up colors for Rangoli that I realized that I hadn't seen these colors together for a very long time. And just then my friend Ritika complained about how there were no colors in the market. She had been missing bright red for a very long time, all her t shirts were suddenly greys and pastels! And I couldn't disagree! And with the whole winter collection in store, it gets even more difficult to get bright Indian colors.

It was while walking through the Istiklal street in Istanbul, Turkey, that i realized how much I miss India and why. There were thousands of commuters on that street that day but still I didn't find it as exciting as my visits to Crawford market in Mumbai. Our market is full of colors, be it our food or sarees, be it the plastic items sold on road or cushion covers, everything is so bright and colorful and love it!!!!










It's while shooting in Rajasthan that I enjoyed my stay the most - what colors!!! I went crazy shopping in the bylanes of Jodhpur and so cheap!!!! Especially visit a shop called Lalji's in Jodhpur - famous for everything!! Haha!!!

Now i have made an oath - as far as possible I'll only wear as many Indian colors as possible !!! And so Fusion Roots will only promote Indian fabrics and Indian colors....

 

Kathputlis!!!I just love them!! but now their place in our houses has been replaced by pastel wind chimes and i don't endorse that!!!! 

The poor naked kid playing on the road with pebbles is so colorful that i couldn't help but wonder that where are the colors in my wardrobe!