
If ‘Stop and Smell the Roses’ had a face, it would probably be bag designer Rachana Reddy. Her latest collection, Take Your Time, turns the spotlight on the zen of the innocuous—midsummer naps, garden strolls, watching the rain and the tiny snails that emerge with each drop, the purr of a cat—with each piece inviting one to reflect and immerse themselves in the moment. “Can we just pause and truly hold life in all its gentleness?” she asks, adding, “I know I do. I want to be present as life unfolds, and I want to create products with that same intention.”
With clutches and totes in soft, subtle tones, the collection embraces sustainability, making each piece a muse for the conscious, fashion-forward audience. “I set out to create pieces that evoke a sense of nostalgia, capturing the essence of those slow, cherished moments that have become so rare in today’s fast-paced world,” says the 38-year-old, Bengaluru-based founder of Rachana Reddy Accessories. Delicate wood carvings, brass snails, vegan leather waves, beaded roses, copperish brocade and silk appliqué are some of the things that form the fine detailing in her creations, together with cane, semi-precious stones.
Two pieces, however, particularly stand out. First is the Rosa, a peekaboo clutch featuring delicately carved teak wood roses. “Testing out new finishes, like the vintage gold effect, and finding artisans capable of making it in keeping with my vision was both challenging and rewarding,” says Reddy, who scoured villages in Tamil Nadu and a few states in the north to find proficient craftsmen. Interestingly, her search ended near her hometown in Bengaluru.
“After many samples, we created a 300-gram clutch that can even fit an iPhone,” she says. The second piece is the Midsummer Nap clutch. “The combination of cane with Indian fabric and leather detailing makes it so versatile and quite elegant,” says the designer, adding that this was her first time working with cane.
Shilpi Madan for Sunday Standard