Pop goes the sling bag

Summer is just the excuse you need to sling on a luxury handbag in pop colours

Pop goes the sling bag

Summer is just the excuse you need to sling on a luxury handbag in pop colours

Sling bags with long straps were last year's trendsetters and looks like they will continue to shine through 2011 as well.

Vadodara- based accessories designer Tosha Patel Chokshi has taken this trend one step further by creating sleek sling bags, western in design aesthetics, but very Indian in motifs and finesse.

Statement Neckpiece with metal embellishments, crochet flower and agate stone, Rs 1, 200

She sells these bags under her brand Toshe along with cuffs, statement neckpieces and other bag accessories mostly in fine finished luxury leather.

"Our USP is very basic. It's about colours, textures and different shapes, which is what defines our products.
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We don't restrict our designs in terms of any material or style. We believe in designing with freedom, with not restricting ideas to any particular fashion or trend," says the 27-year-old Tosha.

The name of the brand is a shortened version of Tosha as referred to by her friends. "I wanted the brand name to be something of me.

I used to be called Toshe by friends. But it was actually inspired from the word touche meaning touched in French," she says.

A hint of India
Launched last year, leather sling bags are a dominant feature of her brand combined a mix of fabrics like silk, satin brocade, zardosi, denim, velvet and leather with push lock details and leather accents. "Bags are not just an accessory; they're an inevitable part of our everyday life.

We practically live out of our bags. I believe one's taste in bags says a lot about their lifestyle and also personality. Hence starting from bags was a given," says Tosha.

But what makes these bags not so run-of-the-mill is the bringing together of pop colours, Indian fabrics and design motifs. So, a formal leather bag gets a shimmery twist with a zardosi flap.

Skin issues
But in a world that is getting increasingly eco conscious and sensitive to animal cruelty, how does Tosha justify the use of leather? "We use different kinds of Indian fabrics, genuine leather and faux leather.

We believe in using leather that is easily available and are against using exotic skin. However we are working towards becoming more eco conscious and developing a technique wherein we can replace the qualities that leather offers. We are definitely looking at a leather free future," she explains.

A wee bit of me
Hailing from a business family herself, starting her own brand was the next natural step for Tosha. After pursuing her bachelors in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, Tosha found herself wanting to design wearable art, especially accessories where she could add a little bit of herself to the product.

She strengthened her skills by studying Fashion Accessories at Cordwainers, at the London College of Fashion. "It was a highly skilled course that specialized in leather luxury goods.
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London gave me a very good exposure. It was enthralling for a small town girl like me to see people who breathed fashion like the air they needed. It was a way of life to them. What I also learnt in London was the attention to detail, that's what makes a product different," says Tosha

At The Orange Bicycle (41255242), House no. 3353, 12th A Main, 5th Cross, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar
Call 02653071887
Log on to www.toshe.in
Follow Toshe on Facebook
Email info@toshe.in