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The Story of coVeed, ECOveed & Safe

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Renowned social entrepreneur and designer Lakshmi N Menon has been inspiring hundreds of women, young entrepreneurs and social workers through her simple yet innovative, workable and impactful ideas which could transform and touch thousands of lives way beyond creating mere business platforms. She founded The Pure Living in 2012 dedicating it to finding sustainable livelihood solutions and also in propagating awareness in society about the importance of green living. PURE stands for Products Upcycled, Recycled and Economised.

Through Pure Living, Lakshmi Menon has engaged and empowered impoverished women, differently-abled children, and elderly grandmothers in and out of Kerala in creating different kinds of artifacts for her projects. Her innovative eco products, projects, and wordplay question every plastic pen you purchase and every light bulb you leave switched on.

Let us have a glimpse of her 2020 innovations.

coVeed

The concept of coVeed project originated as “coexistence ‘Co’ inside our own ‘Veed’ (a Malayalam word meaning home) and thus coVeed symbolized the coexistence, mutual care and togetherness we held up during the pandemic and lockdown. It exhorted people to craft paper houses and packed them with provisions to donate to the needy amidst the pandemic surge. coVeed aims to rekindle caring and sharing in among people, by encouraging people to contribute essential materials to those who are less privileged.

Lakshmi had created a template of the coVeed, a mini-model of a house on the website, www.coveed.in , which could be downloaded, printed, and assembled just like a pizza box. Each model could be used to store whatever little provisions you can spare for the needy like grain, pulses, etc. One could also decorate the model with his/her creativity and write messages of hope and faith. These could be then collected and given to people in need especially the healthcare workers, the police, people who provide us with essential services, the banking staff, and delivery persons, etc. Thus you are making a coVeed with your family while you are also making memories.

The coVeed project had received warm welcome and widespread appreciation worldwide in a short span of time as it had touched lakhs of minds across the globe. People lovingly adopted the coVeed gallery templates to implement their messages of caring and sharing.

Accolades:

  • The Covid Innovations gallery by Netherlands has appreciated and featured coVeed as “project to foster a sense of co-existence among people”.
  • The Madras Craft Foundation has proposed to join hands with Lakshmi in the coVeed project. The US based medium.com appreciated and featured coVeed project as one of the many great initiatives by women of Kerala during the pandemic.
  • The wide varieties of themed coVeed templates and models have also caught the attention of the world-renowned living-history museum DakshinaChitra in Chennai. Association of Pureliving with DakshinaChitra for themed coVeed souvenirs would convey to the people from different cultures across the world a beautiful message depicting both heritage and coexistence.

 

ECOveed – ECO Panchayats

When the global rat race was put on a great pause by mother Nature came the great realisation… on Ecology, Economy, Emotion & Confidence, Communication, Collaboration, Compassion, and Community at-large! The realization signaled the need to convert the essence of each of the Coveed to an “ECOveed” and later to convert every community into an ECO park.

Each ECOveed is packed with a mask, premium quality natural soap and a handful of seeds, all sourced locally, to be gifted as expressions of gratitude. Hundreds of them were distributed to the unsung heroes in various sectors.

Apart from providing the essentials through coVeeds, the innovation of ECOveed moved it into another hygiene-eco-friendliness dimension where each ECOveed can also be used as a ‘seed starter’ thereby encouraging household organics. It was also an encouragement to the small scales industries who produced cotton masks and soaps.

 

‘Safe’ The fabric avatar of ECOveeds

A new social design to support weavers and local enterprises by our volunteers.

The coVeed later spread its branches into a new avatar of ecoVeeds called “Safe” – a fabric version. It consists of a mask, a coconut oil based soap and seeds for your kitchen garden, all sourced locally to support the local enterprises. ‘safe’ was made of unsold, old stock of  handloom fabric from Karimpadom weavers society(Chekutty ragdoll’s birth place) with which we could double or triple the income for weavers.

The industry had crashed due to the lockdown and this was a ray-of-hope idea to bring some relief through this to keep them safe.  ‘Safe’, is a pocket easily hung on the front door handle to remind you to wear the mask when you step out of your ECOveed (home). “Safe” campaign was launched with a ‘Buy Safe, Be safe” motto and it has everything to keep you safe! Safe is a Copyrighted design and available only on www.coveed.in . All the proceeds go to weavers and local enterprises.

Lakshmi’s other splendid innovations on sustainable living have motivated us on how to think out-of-the-box and all of those had been a super hit. Be it opening up new angles of innovating a day-to-day product or giving a new life to what we consider “useless”, or conveying deep emotions through simple artifacts, these initiatives have not only got registered in our hearts but also created job opportunities for many.

  • Ammoommathiri- Wicksdom, providing livelihood for the underprivileged or elderly through crowdsourcing for wicks-making.
  • Entrée (the pen with a gift of Agastya seeds that you can sow once its use is over)
  • The famous Chekutty ragdoll that empowered the flood-hit handloom industry and also symbolized the resilience of Malayalis during the 2018 floods
  • FriendShip initiative that thanked the flood-rescuer fishermen of Kerala with 65000 paper boats received from the public
  • Ammoomma/Appooppa – themed room décor ideas for our grandparents using handloom fabric and their choice of colors

Words By: Rajani R Pai

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Art

Navratri 2024: Celebrating the Nine Colours and Their Significance

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Navratri, the festival that spans nine nights, is one of the most auspicious and widely celebrated festivals in India. Dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga in her nine forms, each day of Navratri holds special significance, marked by a distinct color that carries deep spiritual and cultural meaning. As we prepare for Navratri 2024, let’s explore the nine colors associated with each day, their significance, and how they inspire devotion, positivity, and harmony.

Day 1: Yellow

On Thursday, embrace the uplifting energy of yellow as you celebrate Navratri with optimism and joy. This warm and cheerful color symbolizes happiness and radiates positivity, keeping you in high spirits throughout the day.

Day 2: Green

On Friday, wear green, a color that represents nature, growth, and harmony. It evokes a sense of peace and serenity, while also symbolizing new beginnings. Let the vibrant energy of green invite tranquility and the blessings of the Goddess into your life.

Day 3: Grey

Saturday calls for the subtle sophistication of grey. This balanced color keeps you grounded and calm, symbolizing composure and understated elegance. It’s perfect for those who want to participate in Navratri with grace while making a refined style statement.

Day 4: Orange

On Sunday, adorn yourself in the vibrant hue of orange. This color embodies warmth, exuberance, and positivity. Wearing orange during Navratri invokes an upbeat energy, bringing vitality and a lively spirit to your celebrations.

Day 5: White

Start your Monday with the purity and serenity of white. Associated with innocence and spiritual clarity, this color invites inner peace and helps you connect with the divine blessings of the Goddess, offering a sense of security and calm.

Day 6: Red

On Tuesday, red takes center stage, symbolizing passion, love, and strength. As one of the most auspicious colors, red is often offered to the Goddess in the form of a Chunri. Wearing red fills you with energy, vigor, and the vibrant spirit of Navratri.

Day 7: Royal Blue

Wednesday’s color is royal blue, representing elegance, richness, and tranquility. This deep, vivid shade of blue exudes confidence and sophistication, making it an ideal choice for those who want to celebrate Navratri with style and grace.

Day 8: Pink

On Thursday, don the charming hue of pink, a symbol of universal love, affection, and harmony. Pink is a color that adds a soft touch of warmth and approachability, making it perfect for creating a loving and joyful atmosphere during the festivities.

Day 9: Purple

On the final day of Navratri, purple takes the spotlight. Associated with luxury, nobility, and grandeur, purple invites opulence into your life. Wearing this regal color while worshipping Navdurga bestows blessings of prosperity and richness, making it the perfect way to end your Navratri celebrations.

 

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Luxury

Cartier’s New High Jewellery Collection is a Love For The Wild

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In 2021, the American Museum of Natural History in New York presented Beautiful Creatures, an exhibition showcasing some of the most eccentric jewellery designs of the past century. One standout piece was the iconic crocodile necklace of Mexican actress María Félix, a loyal Cartier patron. Félix, renowned for her bold sense of style, famously strolled into Cartier’s Paris store in 1975 with her pet crocodile, requesting a necklace in its likeness. Cartier delivered, crafting two intertwined crocodiles encrusted with over a thousand emeralds and yellow diamonds. For Félix, crocodiles symbolized freedom, an embodiment of the spirit she associated with Mexico’s Golden Age of cinema.

Fast forward to today, and Félix’s wildest dreams seem to have come to life at Cartier’s latest high jewellery collection, Nature Sauvage, previewed at the historic Kursalon Hübner gallery in Vienna. Among the star pieces is the Koaga necklace, a masterful creation where a zebra clasps an emerald-cut diamond and a 6.25-carat pear-shaped rubellite in its mouth. The zebra’s form is exquisitely rendered in alternating onyx stripes and pavé diamonds, making the creature feel almost lifelike.

The relationship between animals and jewellery has deep mythological roots, often glorified through rituals and symbolism. In ancient Egypt, scarab beetles were worn as earrings to signify respect for life’s cyclical nature. Meanwhile, in Hellenistic Greece, gods and goddesses took on the forms of winged creatures in adornment. So, what is it about animal-themed jewellery that continues to captivate us? According to Amanda Triossi, a jewellery historian based in Rome, the allure lies in our primal instincts: “Wearing wild animals like panthers or tigers gives one the sense of having conquered them. It’s empowering, as if you inherit the animal’s strength and attributes.”

Cartier captures this essence beautifully in its Amphista necklace. Featuring two intertwined snakes with diamond scales set with emeralds, their heads adorned with kite-shaped diamonds, the necklace echoes ancient Chinese philosophy’s yin-yang balance. The pièce de résistance? Nine octagonal Colombian emeralds, weighing a total of 14.72 carats.

Triossi also notes that many historical heroes are often depicted draped in the skins of animals they’ve vanquished, a symbol of triumph. Today, jewellery transforms that symbol into something precious and eternal—animal skins reimagined in imperishable materials.

Later that evening, at a celebration held at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, the largest in Austria, the enchantment of Cartier’s collection was heightened. The museum’s octagonal domes featured paintings of animals dancing with angels, setting the stage for a magical night. Guests were greeted by masterpieces such as Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait and Caravaggio’s Madonna of the Rosary, alongside Cartier page boys in their signature red hats. The evening’s soundtrack, a seamless blend of Bach and Kygo, was curated by DJ Gillian Sagansky, lending a modern twist to the classical ambiance.

The following day brought another cultural adventure—a visit to Otto Wagner’s Villa, a stunning summer palace designed by the famed architect. The paintings adorning the villa’s walls depicted animals in various forms—some caught in purgatory, others wandering the biblical bardo, with alligators restlessly emerging from swampy landscapes.

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Luxury

Indian Craftsmanship Meets Italian Savoir Faire : Rahul Mishra x Tod’s

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Quiet luxury was expected to dominate for a while, with many predicting that the return of bold, extravagant fashion would take its time. However, maximalism seems to be making a swift comeback, especially in the realm of designer collaborations. Hot on the heels of the vibrant, print-heavy H&M x Anamika Khanna collection, another limited-edition line has arrived, celebrating opulent luxury: Rahul Mishra x Tod’s.

As part of Tod’s T-Factory project, which features exclusive collaborations with creative innovators, this marks Indian couturier Rahul Mishra’s debut in the international accessories space.

Mishra is a true ambassador of Indian design. Along with his wife Divya Mishra, he leads his eponymous label, which has brought the essence of India to the global stage in remarkable ways. A regular at Paris Fashion Week and the first Indian designer to showcase at Paris Haute Couture Week, his creations have adorned celebrities like Zendaya and Mark Zuckerberg, and have graced magazine covers in South Korea, China, and Europe. With such a path-defining legacy, it’s no surprise that Mishra and his visionary label were Tod’s natural choice for their first-ever Indian collaboration.

Mishra describes this collaboration as a beautiful fusion of “Italian craftsmanship serving as the canvas for Indian vision.” Tod’s iconic Gommino loafers and mules, along with the Di Bag and T Timeless shoulder bag, have been reimagined with intricate resham embroidery, crystals, and sequins—all meticulously hand-embroidered at Mishra’s atelier in Noida. “It was a technically challenging process that took time to perfect. I can confidently say these are some of the finest bags and shoes you’ll ever witness, in terms of craftsmanship and longevity. Such pieces are forever,” Mishra proudly shares.

Crafted entirely between India and Italy, the limited-edition pieces from this collection are a true love letter to the artisanal heritage of both nations. “There’s a beauty in the teamwork here,” Mishra explains. “We received raw materials from Italy and worked on integrating our embroideries seamlessly into their leather. The pieces were then sent back to Tod’s, where they transformed them into stunning, three-dimensional products. In that sense, it’s been a genuine collaboration between Italy and India.”

Mishra firmly believes that the future of global design will be shaped by a global Indian aesthetic. “Just as French, Italian, British, and Japanese designs are now seen as universal,” he explains. This collaboration marks a significant step in advancing that narrative. “When you push the boundaries of ‘handmade in India’ to be respected at the pinnacle of luxury, everything else will naturally follow,” he emphasizes.

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