Brand royalty

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Miniature art by Vaishnavi Kumari

They have an aura of regal style yet their designs are very today. They say that it’s the only way to preserve the heritage and create a legacy as no design will work if it fails to have contemporary resonance. Meet the present day scions of the Indian royal families who are presenting the rich heritage of India in a contemporary avatar through wildlife sketches, paintings, quilts, silver jewellery in modern patterns, attractive stationery items among other interesting things at the Royal Fables exhibition in the city.

If princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur has created block-printed scarves, stationery inspired by polo, saris that combine minakari embroidery with leheriya, Rajkumari Priti Singh of Kuchaman has an impressive collection of hand-tucked quilts, monogrammed linen and the finest tableware on offer.
Baisa Pushpita Singh of Kherwa says that though designs evolve with time, specialities need to be retained. Apart from creating the traditional jewel pieces she has worked with silver, gemstones and semiprecious stones to create a contemporary range to appeal to working women who wear both Western as well as Indian clothes. Her target buyers are expats, diplomats and young women who are a little adventurous. “It is inspiring to see what our traditional craftsmen can do with these stones which I use innovatively to infuse a contemporary sensibility in my designs,” says Pushpita.
Royal designer Alka Rani Singh of Pratapgarh (Oudh) is known for her hand-painted saris, kurtas and stoles. She started with painted saris around eight years back. The hand-painted saris look modern because of their bold colours and prints. “Our market is very niche because people who appreciate our products have to understand the whole art behind the painted creations. Talking of our saris, even when draped traditionally they look chic and funky. Our effort will always be to design something for the younger generation to wear and enjoy,” says Alka.
Princess Vaishnavi Kumari of Kishangarh along with her school of miniature artists creates art and objects hand-painted in the pichwai style. Their design workshop called Studio Kishangarh was started in 2010 where besides art they create a range of lifestyle products such as hand-painted marble/wooden platters, boxes, photo frames, cushion covers, paper products, apparels etc.
Vaishnavi reveals, “Painting as an art form in Kishangarh has been an old tradition but in recent times there has been stagnation in the aesthetic. So our aim at the studio is to bring this art to a more global/modern context. We achieve this by introducing new themes, bolder colours, starker visuals, new materials, and dimensions while keeping the integrity of the technique intact. I would call it modern miniature paintings. I try to constantly innovate the designs because fashions change and we all have to keep up.”