A Curated Guide to Slow Living
COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown has had a ripple effect on the fashion supply chain. The industry finds itself treading in unfamiliar waters. Innovation, particularly in challenging times, has proven its relevance time and again to reinvigorate businesses to achieve organisational objectives.
Can retail regain its mojo? Store layouts have been re-designed. Trial rooms have been restricted or eliminated. Rest rooms have been done away with. Aisles have been made one way to avoid chance encounters with any other customer. Contact less billing is the new norm. The fear of the unknown has taken a toll on all forms of brick and mortar retail. It has transformed the luxe shopping experience. No longer can you walk into a store to loiter around. There is no idle browsing leading up to impulse sales.
Kerala had ‘Ayurvastra’ researchers practicing centuries old traditional fabric treatment methods. Ayurvedic doctors and researchers prepare dyes, macerations and treatments that infuse the textiles with medicinal characteristics. These include chitrathai (ginger plant), tulsi (wild basil), Madagascar Periwinkle (vinca rosea), the tails of the bell plant and sandalwood, amongst others. The list is a highly curated selection of natural oils and plants that are integral to the science of Ayurvastra.
Homegrown accessories label Studio Beej is plugging a gap in India’s sartorial accessories space by creating bags from sustainable, cruelty-free materials including cork and Piñatex, fitted with upcycled and recycled trimmings and fastenings
Boutique hospitality consultant Insia Lacewalla, who called the fabulous city her home for several years speaks about her favourite spots in the city, the danger of digital validation and the importance of speaking about mental health
Since the 80s, design duo comprising Frenchman Didier Lecoanet and Indo-German Hemant Sagar have been enthralling the world with their couture and ready-to-wear fashion. What inspired them to launch Ayurganic, a conscious line of premium leisure wear, rooted in the principles of Ayurveda? BeejLiving travels to Kerala to understand the vision and journey of Ayurganic, from pale cotton bales to breathable garments that restore balance and heal the body
