Caravan Craft Retail Private Limited (CCRPL) a single brand retail venture committed to the revival and promotion of Indian craft and providing meaningful livelihood to the country's artisans opened its first store in Phoenix Market City, Whitefield Bangalore.
A store that has been to the interiors of India, is unearthing forgotten crafts and craftsmen, and finding in them new inspirations. Inspirations expressed by eclectic and experienced designers in a range of apparel, home decor, jewelry, toys and gifts. The products combine contemporary functional design and traditional craft forms in a unique collection of merchandise
Silhouettes and colour palettes aligned with international trends are blended with authentic, hand-painted Kalamkari to create graceful and elegant tunics and tops for women. Tastefully hand-embroidered pieces make a distinct departure from the usual kitsch associated with Indian craft. The finest Muslin from Bengal gives the apparel a sensuous feel. The collection comes across as elegant and sophisticated rather than loud and busy.
An exquisite Limited Edition jewellery collection combines Dhokra with Silver and Cubic Zirconia (CZ). This collection displays one of the finest demonstrations of Indian craftsmanship. Each piece is a complex and intricate fusion of different materials and technical detail. The stone setting for each piece is an extremely painstaking process and requires a high degree of skill to achieve the precision necessary for the sophistication evident in the collection. Some pieces have more than 200 CZ stones set in them!
The fusion of technology with craft is another interesting direction the brand has taken. USB memory sticks and digital photo frames adorned with Bidri Silver inlay are breathtaking!
Caravan had made a conscious and evident attempt to marry contemporary needs of a modern discerning customer and the rich heritage of Indian craft. This is reminiscent of products seen in France or Japan where craft skills combine aesthetically with neo-functional products.
Caravan Craft Retail Private Limited has been funded by Unitus Seed Fund and NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation).
Dilip Chenoy, Managing Director & CEO, NSDC, says "While NSDC spearheads the nation's Skilling Mission with a target of 150 million pairs of skilled hands to be added by 2022 which will include artisans, it is the demand for skilled Indians generated by businesses like Caravan that makes the new skills ecosystem economically viable and productive in the long run. NSDC, for its part, will continue to study the skill gap in the country and develop its network of training partners who will manage the supply side for skilled manpower at every level."
Caravan is led by Kunal R Sachdev, who has considerable experience in marketing, retail and operations management. He has held senior management and leadership roles at ITC and Hidesign where he was instrumental in building both the brand and the business.
Other key members of the team include Sudipto Sinha (COO) who is responsible for Business Strategy and Artisanal Development. His past experience as founder of Indica Research and one of the pioneers in marketing research in India is invaluable. Vinesh Singh, CFO at Caravan, comes with a unique and rich experience of both Finance and Retail having spent more than two decades in Retail Operations and Supply Chain.
Sachin Rampal, who used to head corporate communications for Reliance Retail, is on board to create linkages with artisan groups for a sustainable engagement with them. Mahesh Rao, ex-owner and Managing Director, Carbon, the jewellery brand, is helping put together the jewellery collection. Michael Foley, arguably one of India's leading designers, is designing part of the product range for the brand.
The advisory board of Caravan counts Narayan Ramachandran, former Chief Executive, Morgan Stanley India; Bijou Kurien, President & Chief Executive - Lifestyle, Reliance Retail Ltd and Ananth Raman, UPS Fellow at Harvard Business School, among its members.
About Caravan Craft Retail Private Limited
Caravan Craft Retail Private Limited is a single-brand retail venture based out of Bangalore. Caravan intends to create a market for products with significant craft content that combine practicality and aesthetic appeal. The company is attempting to bridge the gap between the rich reservoir of traditional Indian craftsmanship and the evolving needs of contemporary living.