Coppy Cat!

Two days ago I heard from Sneha, an apparel and product designer who recently launched a label called Coppy Cat. I've never known of a designer who wanted to be known as anything but original and a harbinger of all things unseen and unheard, so this one definitely got me curious. Here's how she explains it, "with every great design comes a greater inspiration. They say nothing is original. In this world full of copy cats who love stealing other's work to call it their own, here comes one who may not be original but 100% authentic. We do get inspired but know where the inspiration ends and our own voice of work begins."

Sneha started out mainly as an apparel designer and after three years with a retail firm in Bangalore she decided to move back home to Calcutta and create her own line. But destiny had more in store for her when her tailor ran away just one month into the job, that's when she started dabbling with product design which led to the inception of Coppy Cat. For her it was simply the love of story telling through design.

Like Sneha, I adore all things old and am glad that there are designers like her who are trying to keep the magic of vintage alive through their creations. She also uses a lot of recycled material in her product line, from old bottles to fabric to novels with yellowing pages; it's like a breath of fresh air in today's world of overly stylised and blingy offerings. Her sketches and motifs remind me of the enchanting story books I grew up with - the bespectacled owl, birds with bow-ties, polka dots and zigzags, all very charming. Here's a look at some of her stuff...

A collection of wall frames made from recycled book paper, pepped up with digital prints and bow ties made from scrap fabric.

Fun cushions made from recycled duster cloth and jute bags

Here are some old booze bottles put to use in lamps and decorative pieces. I especially love the vintage inspired prints on the shades.

Finally, some stylish stationery...A5 sized notebooks made from recycled board.

To see more of Coppy Cat's stuff visit their facebook page. They also retail through a couple of other online stores: www.shop.inonit.in, www.quirkoshop.com and www.itshandmade.in