Lemonade is a young and cool brand of fashion bags and accessories that stylist Ankita Banerjee and entrepreneur Yash Nahar have come together to create. The designs marry utility and good looks with an affordable core.
We caught up with Ankita for a quick chat.
Congratulations for Lemonade! It looks fab! Tell us how the two of you met and started the project in the lockdown…
We met when I wanted to source a few bags from Yash’s leather label for a particular shoot. Post-shoot, we kept discussing further shoots and prospects and we ended up being really good friends. During the lockdown Yash called me and came up with the random idea about starting a business together. Given his expertise in the bags and accessories business, we decided to bank on the vegan market. So, that’s how Lemonade was born. The idea is that fashion should be accessible, effortless and affordable to all. Reach us on @lemonadebyus on Instagram.
The name is so cool!
The name is gender neutral and in all our designs we want to offer something fresh. We won’t limit ourselves to bags. We will branch out in different avenues like footwear and accessories.
The collection is chic. What is the blueprint?
The blueprint mostly consists of chic and cool designs and our USP is to play with colours and textures, making sure that the price point (Rs 1,200-Rs 5,000) is affordable. Lemonade with its modern and minimalist aesthetic puts forward and seeks to celebrate feminine beauty and strength through fun and creative fashion.
Diti Saha is a picture of effortless comfort wearing her Sponge Bob complemented by Miakee by Iyesha Thadani
Can you describe the styles?
We have Mai Tai, which is a mini design to keep the limited essentials with a minimal chain look that adds a touch of class. Then we have Bellini, a gender-fluid bag which is very cool. You can hang it around your neck or wear it cross-body or wrap it around your hand. Then we have Manhattan, which is our premium and luxurious tote with a fine velvet finish lining accented with gold and handwoven to fit in your essentials effortlessly. Then we have the Campari — the knotted shoulder handle adds an edge to the bag. Then we have Sponge Bob, which is in three colours... lime yellow, black and sky blue. The most comfy bag in our collection, Sponge Bob is a quilted bag, spacious enough to stuff things in and be used as a pillow! I am not kidding! Girls, you can always bank on this bag. Then we have Sherry, the trending moon bag which is elegant and fashionable with an adjustable shoulder strap to fit all.
Jessica Aaron is party ready in Veera Wear and Mai Tai
Oh so cute is this Bellini bag!
How has years of styling helped you in channelising your creativity into what you wanted to do with the brand?
My years of styling have taught me a lot of stuff like balancing aesthetics and put them all together in a better way. I want the brand to be a good mixture of comfort and luxury and affordable too. We had to make the products chic, fashionable and on-trend. My work has definitely helped me in coming up with styles because styling helps me to be up to date with what’s happening in the fashion industry and the trends and that has helped me in coming up with designs.
The construction part has always been Yash’s department and deciding on the looks and aesthetics, mine. At the end of the day, both of us have a say in each other’s work and teamwork helps in building a brand.
This frame is all about power glam. The Manhattan perfectly complements the Richa Khemka attire
Tell us about the styles you showcased in the t2 shoot…
We showcased Sponge Bob — the Comfort Guru; Mai Tai — the Party Beast; Bellini — the Tourist in the City; Manhattan — Boss Babe; Cosmo — the Regular Joe; the elegant and subtle Sherry; and Campari, the Sass Queen. All our bags fit the personality and mood of every woman.
Great for a date or a coffee meet with friends is this Sherry bag. The pretty dress from Leisure Loom adds to the subtle femininity
As a lady, what do you want out of your bag?
There are two phases of me. Sometimes, I want really tiny bags, super fashionable but something that can also store my cards, lipstick and keys. I don’t think about utility too much at that time. And, there is this other side which wants my bag to be bigger than the universe.
Tell us about your personal collection of bags… we are sure the black-and-gold fanny pack is the most used!
Yes! I might have a lot of bags on me, but I eventually end up wearing my evergreen black-and-gold fanny pack from H&M. That bag redefines utility and fashion at the same time. It helps me stuff whatever I require into it and I also carry it around when I am working or travelling or even existing. I am very biased towards other bags and I feel bad for it, but fanny packs survive the fight. I can literally go broke while bag shopping! I remember travelling to Budapest and coming back with a suitcase filled with just bags.
Which personalities would you want to wear Lemonade?
We try to cater to every personality possible, but of course I want Sarah Jessica Parker to use my bags. I wish they got used in Sex and the City! Given the vibe, I would also like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner to use our bags.
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Jewellery: Michelle Alexander
Hair and make-up: Mainak Das
Location: Motherland Café
(A/3 Chowringhee Mansions)
A chat with Yash Nahar
Ankita Banerjee and Yash Nahar are the co-creators of Lemonade. So, what have Yash’s inputs been like? “I quit my cushy job to follow my heart and I have always been passionate towards fashion products made out of leather. Not happy with what the Indian market had to offer, I set forth to fill this gap. Indian textiles have always been appreciated across the world, but that’s not the story with fashion products in leather, although India is one of the largest producers of leather.... That’s how I started my first label EastHide. Lately vegan bags have been trending and affordable. So, the idea of Lemonade crossed my mind. I am disgusted by mediocrity and that drives me towards excellence from product design to finish. I believe that product appeal must be coupled with functionality to make it a success,” says the young businessman.