|
Varnam (meaning ‘colours’) is a multi-award winning social enterprise that has been working with artisans in Channapatna, Karnataka in India, for over 4 years.〔http://www.thealternative.in/lifestyle/new-roots-channapatna-flourish-karthik-vaidyanathan-varnam/〕 It has produced a series of designs interpreting this 200-year-old toy-making craft in the home and lifestyle, women’s accessories space, giving tradition a contemporary twist.〔http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/art/toy-destination/article6209551.ece〕 Using traditional lac-turnery methods popularised by the traditional Channapatna toys range, the label produces home and lifestyle products, toys and jewelry.〔http://kyoorius.com/2014/12/kyoorius-knocks-karthik-vaidyanathan-varnam/#sthash.apdJPwbb.dpuf〕 ==History== Varnam was started in late 2011 〔 by Karthik Vaidyanathan, who had just designed his own new home in Bengaluru in the Chettinad Style – one that was much appreciated by visitors for both its interiors and his use of the traditional ‘khanaa’ fabric in soft furnishings.〔http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/colours-of-creativity/article3347120.ece〕 It was Karthik’s mother who, driven by demand from her friends, “casually suggested that I do a small exhibition of soft furnishings for friends, similar to the ones I had done for her”.〔 The exhibition was a runaway success and there lay the seed for doing something creative involving traditional fabric in home décor – Varnam began its journey with soft furnishings but soon embraced the founder’s love for the Channapatna craft.〔 Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys (and dolls) that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the State of Karnataka, India. As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.〔A brief history of Channapatna toys is provided by 〕 Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the ''Wrightia tinctoria'' tree,〔http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5859e/x5859e04.htm〕 colloquially called ''Aale mara'' (ivory-wood).〔A brief description of Channapatna toys is provided by 〕 The origin of these toys can be traced to the reign of Tipu Sultan who invited artisans from Persia to train the local artisans in the making of wooden toys.〔 Conscious of its historical significance, Karthik spent the first few weeks were spent visiting the artisans and observing their production processes while gaining hands-on experience.〔http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/colours-of- creativity/article3347120.ece〕 He then started working with the artisans one design at a time. "While I make my own designs, I usually sit with the artisans and discuss the designs and there are invariably some changes, since the craft has many restrictions," he once stated.〔 A few months later he came out with a jewellery range and a children's range of toys at Varnam.〔http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/its-his-toy-story/article5918786.ece〕 In 2014, after selling on the internet and through certain retail stores across the city, the brand’s first flagship store, called the Varnam Store, was started at Indiranagar in Bengaluru.〔http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/toy-destination/article6210550.ece〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Varnam - Handcrafted in Channapatna」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|