Summary
Student entrepreneurs are showcasing a wide range of products from apparel and jewellery to stationery, chocolates and candles
The exhibition is on till December 12, noon to 9pm, at 71 Rashbehari Avenue
The backyard at 71 Rashbehari Avenue is filled with the myriad colours of winter as the Local Love edition of The Backyard Popup is set up. The three-day pop-up that started on December 10 has more than 25 start-ups selling apparel, jewellery, artwork, stationery and food.
Curated by Utsha Das, 29, the pop-up lends a platform to students and youths to showcase their products. The pop-up is on till December 12, noon to 9pm, with strict COVID protocol in place.
“We started back in 2015 and this will be our sixth year. Every year we try to find new start-ups that can join the initiative. We update everything on Instagram so one can just follow us there and get in touch. Then there is a curation process where we keep in mind that all the participating brands are in sync with one another. This year we have a lot of clothing brands, a good variety of skincare, handmade soaps and candles, resin art jewellery, stationery, art, home décor, and handmade chocolate. We have something for everyone,” said Utsha.
The Backyard Popup is all about encouraging emerging start-ups. From botanical printed outfits to traditional kantha stitch; from hand-poured candles to pottery; from quirky notebooks to upcycled clothes; one would find everything under one roof.
Anisha Sarkar, a third-year BCom student of The Bhawanipur Educational Society College, started Kalavrit in January this year. “I make resin bookmarks, earrings, guitar picks, keychains, fridge magnets, rings, ashtrays, coasters, pendants and charms. I have started experimenting with cement. I have tried making cement trays and paperweights. The word Kalavrit is a synonym of the moon. Kala is also art in Bengali and Hindi so I thought that would be a good name for my start-up,” said the 20-year-old who has put up a stall.
One of the stalls belongs to Trishita Nandi who sells earrings, neckpieces, keychains, home decor, and miniature folk art items under the brand name Butterfly Tree. She started Butterfly Tree in 2019. “I believe that restoring your own heritage and tradition plays a key role in sustainable development. I am trying to promote art forms of India like Madhubani, Patachitra, and Kerala Mural. Art is not something which hangs on the wall and is distant from us but rather it is intertwined with our daily lifestyle,” said the 27-year-old who is currently pursuing a diploma in Dance Movement Therapy from the Tata Institute of Social Science.
Roshni Bhattacharya, one of the stall owners, started doodling at the age of three. She took to it professionally seven years back and now sells products under the brand name Noodledoodlebyrb. “This season, especially because New Year is around the corner, I have done a planner, calendars, hand-painted candles, Christmas ornaments, and hand-knitted charms. Besides that, my usual products include hand-illustrated doodle notebooks, envelopes, bookmarks, greeting cards, badges, magnets, coasters, tote bags and pillow covers. At first, doodling was a hobby during my college (NIFT) days,” said Roshni, who is studying Folklore and Culture Studies at Indira Gandhi Open University.
Last updated on 11 Dec 2021
