Ek Dori: Create, Curate and Care (Featured Brand)

What ensues when two sisters with an eye for antiquated charm and passion for design and decor come together??? The answer to that question is “Ek Dori”! Based in Pune (India), Ek Dori is the newest online decor boutique for vintage collectibles and handmade goodness. Abhilasha and Aditi, the sister duo we featured a few weeks with regard to Maharani Baug have taken on another dream project and turned it into reality. This project is a combined effort to make vintage décor more accessible, popularize rich Indian crafts and also serve as a means to give back to their community!

Ek Dori’s diligently curated collection is put together by the team by travelling the length and breadth of the country, hunting down unique treasures by connecting with the locals and personally understanding the process of creation of the product itself. Their curated range of brass artifacts currently includes Lassi glasses, chai kettles, surmadanis, Mini brass paandaans, vintage hairpins and the munimji notebook! I had a quick tete-a-tete with Abhilasha to bring you an exclusive insider perspective on this new venture. 

TECD: Hello Abhilasha! Delighted to have you back on TECD! Let’s start by asking you, what is the significance of the name "Ek Dori"?

Abhilasha: “My pleasure Sruthi! Thank You for featuring us. Ek Dori symbolizes the invisible thread that joins us and our passions, dreams, creativity and heritage together. It is the force that helps us create, curate and care. It is the force that brings us together.” 

 TECD: How did the plan for "Ek Dori" take shape? 

Abhilasha: “There never existed a plan for Ek Dori. It was always just a dream that I nurtured in a corner of my heart. A dream that refused to die no matter how hard my mind and business logic tried. The dream started to take concrete shape when destiny brought into my life women, young and old, women who had a desire to learn, to contribute, to grow and to make a difference. But unfortunately they have never got an opportunity to get an education. At Ek Dori, the desire to provide an opportunity to these women to make an honorable living, is what drives us. These are the women behind Ek Dori. These are the women who gave the dream shape and form.”

TECD: What according to you, sets Ek Dori apart from the many other decor brands out there? 

Abhilasha: “Ek Dori is Indian at its core and in its soul. We take great pride in promoting and upholding Indian crafts, textiles and people. All products at Ek Dori whether created or curated speak an Indian language and tell the stories our grandmothers told us. We will soon be launching products that are handmade at the Ek Dori studio by the Ek Dori women.”

TECD: What are your future plans for "Ek Dori"?

Abhilasha: “No plans but lots of dreams - new lines, new innovative, meaningful handmade products and loads of smiles. We are taking it one step at a time, but the ultimate goal is to provide employment for as many women as we come across.”

Ek Dori’s upcoming collection is a curated range of vintage and rare brass collectibles along with handmade brass toys and hand embellished wall art. The products are truly one-of-a-kind and if I had to redefine greed it would be translated as “I WANT ALL of the products listed at Ek Dori!” So beat me to it by connecting with them via Instagram and calling first dibs on your favorite piece. For pricing details and product queries DM the Ek Dori team Via Instagram. Ek Dori ships worldwide (Shipping charges as applicable).

Before I sign off for today, Abhilasha and Aditi, I’d like to wish you all the very best!

(Image Credit: Ek Dori and subject to copyright)

Maharani Baug for the Banjara (Nomadic soul) in you!

“Maharani Baug”(translated to mean “garden of pleasure”), is a Pune based jewelry label that has a charming collection of elegantly handpicked tribal jewelry and unique fashion accessories. These pieces are perfect to add that vintage, ethnic, bohemian touch to your festive attire. The creative team at Maharani Baug consists of the sister duo, Abhilasha and Aditi, who besides jewelry are also passionate about fashion, travel, design and all things beautiful. Their newest festive collection, titled “Shakti” has a wonderful mix of elaborate neckpieces, danglers, rings and anklets with a distinct aged patina that only adds to the charm of these pieces. A one-on-one with Aditi of Maharani Baug, got me talking about their journey so far and more about their latest collection Shakti. What’s more, the images shared here are exclusively just for you!

TECD:Hello and welcome to TECD, Aditi! So glad we are finally doing this feature! Let’s start by asking you how did Maharani Baug happen?

Aditi: “Thanks Sruthi, so excited to be featured here on TECD! 

My sister Abhilasha and I are lucky to be third-generation, army children. So, in a way, our family has been nomadic for the last three generations and this has created a yearning for travel, exploration and an eternal gypsy soul within us! We have been fortunate to witness several of India’s craft clusters first hand in our formative growing years and this has left such an indelible mark on us that it led both of us to create Maharani Baug despite our flourishing corporate careers! What started as admiration for our grandmother’s jewelry collection, collected by her over the years from her time in Pakistan and Kashmir, evolved into a great desire to share our love for jewelry and these bold, affordable and handmade pieces with the world.”

TECD: What would you say is the USP of your brand?

Abhilasha: “Firstly, our brand is a contradiction - we mix the old with the modern, the past with the present, the rough with the smooth and royal with the tribal.

Secondly, a lot of our pieces we sell are vintage! At Maharani Baug we love rescuing jewelry that is often being sold to be melted and converted into something flashy and new! We scout for pieces that have been pre-loved and that come with a story! We appreciate the history and heritage that comes with a vintage piece and makes us wonder about all the adventures the piece has had and the magical memories it created with its previous owner/s. As a rule, we never clean our vintage pieces - we love that they have a wonderful patina! Cleaning vintage pieces would actually make them loose some of the charm and character, so as you will notice on close examination, a lot of our jewelry shows a few spots of oxidation and signs of wear tear!"

TECD: Tell us more about your latest collection Shakti? 

Aditi: “This collection manifested from our desire to celebrate the feminine form SHAKTI - the manifestation of divine feminine creative power within us all. We consciously chose to launch this collection during Navratri, 9 Holy nights of celebrating our womanhood and also chose to work with an all-woman artisan base. Maharani Baug prides itself at assisting and empowering the women craftspeople of India and giving them a fair chance to earn a livelihood.”

TECD: What according to you, is the most satisfying aspect about your entrepreneurial venture?

Aditi: “The best part of this journey has been the chance to interact with wonderful women - first our craftswomen - we love and respect their craft, their dedication and their entrepreneurial skills and how wonderfully they balance home and work. Second, all the fabulous women patrons of Maharani Baug.”

TECD: Where does one shop for these pieces?

Aditi: “We currently sell via Instagram and our Facebookpage. Just drop us a line there with your questions about the products and pricing queries and we'll get back to you with the details."

I'm sure you are lusting over these gorgeous pieces, so head straight over to Maharani Baug's Insta page and make your pick before these limited edition beauties are all sold out !

(Image Courtesy: Maharani Baug)