Oniverse 1.0, in association with The Telegraph, was a one-of-akind lifestyle exhibition held at Williams Court on Shakespeare Sarani on February 26. Hosted by the young creative boutique agency, Onism, founded by Mallika Kapur, the exhibition brought together a host of quirky, cool and unique young homegrown fashion labels as well as brands from various Indian cities, edgy accessory labels and food brands under one roof, to create a unique experiential event for the youth of the city. Put together by a bunch of young women from the agency, the day-long event gave exposure to various new brands and youth entrepreneurs while visitors indulged in shopping, fun activities and delightful gastronomic experiences. Snapshots:
Solaire, the apparel brand, had put up an activity corner along with its display. Visitors designed their own outfits with the design elements
The food section featured brands like Cheesserted that served Macaroons, Lime Profiterole, Cheesecake slices and Blackforest cake. Artily had on display colourful jars of Boba Teas, Mojitos and Bubble Teas. Saz American Brasserie served a variety cocktails and beer.
(L-R) Nimbu chai studio, Roses and Angels
Nimbu Chai Studio, a vintage/thrift store, came to Oniverse with its collection of sourced and upcycled pieces. From reworked 25-year-old linen jackets to upcycled saris, it displayed a range of its one-of-a-kind pieces, championing the cause of sustainable fashion.
Named after two sisters, Rose and Angel, Calcutta-based apparel brand Roses and Angels presented a capsule collection of feminine loungewear inspired by Princess Diana’s styles. Made of organic cotton, it showcased a curated collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts with a feminine touch to it in terms of styles and colour palette.
(l-r) Drishleen Sethi,Nikhil Patnaik
“It was a youth-focused event and the first of its kind in the city. The entire Onism team has managed to pull out the best and upcoming homegrown brands from streetwear to activewear and also a really interesting F&B mix. The creative vibe and overall shopping experience was fresh and I’m glad people enjoyed our signature cocktails at Saz,” said Drishleen Sethi.
“The vibe of the exhibition was really nice. It was not a runof-the-mill lifestyle exhibition that we usually see in the city. The collections were nice. Good food and great people. It was great to walk in and find people of my age. Styles were also very youth-centric,” said Nikhil Patnaik.
ORGANISER SPEAK:
“We are a bunch of young girls from this creative marketing organisation and we have always done events featuring clients who are in the F&B, luxury and lifestyle space. We have attended a bunch of exhibitions in the city. However, there has never been a coming together of business owners giving what the youth really wants. Whether it is a Bombay or a Delhi, they have several youth-centric events. However, in Calcutta, the shopping options have been limited. Our entire idea was to bring youth-driven businesses and young entrepreneurs under one roof. Being a marketing agency, we helped them strategise to display. It was an exhibition for young people by the youth,” said Mallika Kapur (third from the right in the second row with her team of organisers), founder, Onism.
Calcutta-based homegrown brand Studiyo’s accessory corner was all about custom-made painted shoes, bags, belts and passport holders. Be it revamping an old item from the wardrobe or a new one with custom paintings, the two-month-old brand has fresh and quirky ideas to offer. We loved The Starry Night-inspired painted bag on display.
Enclothe, rooted in the upcycle and slow fashion movement, displayed their streetwear and statement pieces made of reworked dead stock. Their range of trendy and cool denim pieces caught our eyes.
Bangalore-based brand Cava that emphasises on sustainability and organic clothing, showcased their range of solid-colour, comfortable travel wear, loungewear and athleisure. Made of BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) and other comfortable fabrics, the smart styles are designed with minimal patterns, making them appealing to the contemporary youth.
NKJ by Neha Kamani was all about hand-painted men’s and women’s jackets and saris. An artist by passion for many years, Neha made a classy black-and-white collection of wearable art pieces featuring her paintings and showcased it for the first time in an exhibition.