A ‘Treaty’ Sealed in Trinkets
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It is serendipity." This is how Maithili Ahluwalia of Mumbai-based Bungalow 8 wants to describe the latest fashion showing at her luxury store. A trunk show of jewellery pieces and a limited number of scarves by New York-based label, A Peace Treaty — it will go on till April 23. "I was not familiar with their work until a few months ago when their agent walked into my store. As soon as I saw their work, I knew I had to host them. Their craftsmanship is impeccable," she says.
However, it isn't just the craftsmanship that makes this label unique. Started by Pakistani Farah Malik and Libyan Dana Arbib back in 2008, A Peace Treaty comes across as an unlikely collaboration. It is the result of an unwavering passion for both fashion and humanitarian work. Malik, who has an MSc degree from the London School of Economics, has worked for NGOs. Arbib, an alumna of Parson's School of Design, has been assisting missions to places such as Ethiopia to deliver AIDS medication. "These experiences confirmed my belief that philanthropy and fashion should be mixed in a way that both the developing and the mainstream fashion worlds understand it simultaneously," reasons Arbib.
By working with skilled artisans from strife-torn areas, the label helps the designers build bridges with other cultures and places. It also supports the local crafts and brings forward a high-end collection of scarves and jewellery meant for an international fashion audience. The jewellery collection available at Bungalow 8 has earrings, rings, cuffs and necklaces inspired by the nomadic tribes of the Thar desert and the Turkoman tribes of Central Asia.
"Each piece takes old relics and myths from lost cities and ancient civilizations. For instance, we resuscitated camel-bone carving for our Thar jewellery line. The Thar desert gypsy traditions are the same in Pakistan and India. But sadly, the borderline makes it seem that they are two different worlds. This apart, we also bought wooden looms for artisans in Pakistan, who had to give up the family tradition due to a lack of demand. They now make scarves for us," Malik elaborates.
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