The Drishti Collection from Mayil

Remember the ritual when mom used to rub her little finger against her kohl lined eyes and transfer a smudge of that to our cheek as drishti pottu or kala tika? Well, that happens to me to this very day, when I have mom around. I personally find the act very endearing and feel like I'm five again. So when I found out about the new collection "Drishti" from Mayil, it struck a nostalgic chord. I have blogged about Mayil earlier and have even featured snippets of Madavi Oliver's (the heart and soul of Mayil) home. Go ahead and give it a read if you haven't already. 

Today, however the focus in on their new collection Drishti. What I absolutely loved about the collection was the way in which Madavi had reinterpreted these traditional rituals and beliefs to cater to today's modern woman. You probably already know that, this belief of evil eye is not only evident in Indian culture but is also prominent in various cultures across the world. There are various remedies to nullify the effects of evil eye - the Hamsa that is popular in the Middle East and North Africa, Talisman and amulets in Islamic sects and then our very own lemon and chilli strung together used in North India or the colorful demon masks guarding the outside of the house in the south. 

Here's what Madavi had to say about how the collection came together and how it works, "I was inspired by memories of drishti pottus, drishti bommais and other rituals found in South Indian culture to design Mayil's drishti necklaces. An odd (albeit beautiful) bead for an asymmetry to deflect any drishti coming your way. While a black bead seems to fit in perfectly, I have also used copper, silver and coral beads as a variation in these necklaces to create a visually pleasing asymmetry as well."

These handmade neckpieces come in an array of colors and are a marriage of colored gemstones and silver pendants. My favorites from the collection being the Om necklace, the Celtic style mandala and ofcourse the the Ganesha neckpiece. Grab yours today to give your outfit a touch of the boho while it also works to deflect any negative energy coming your way. These are also a very thoughtful gifting option. Madavi also takes custom orders so reach out to her at mayil@mayilscarves.com. To check out the entire Drishti collection click here. TECD readers get a special discount with the use of code MAYIL10 (a $10 discount) off all your purchases. Offer valid until the end of May 2018.

While you are virtually visiting the Mayil online boutique may I also suggest that you check out their range of colorful scarves and hand selected range of decor accessories. 

(Images are the property of Mayil/Madavi Oliver and may not be used without prior written permission.)

Mayil Scarves (Featured Shop)

If you ask me, scarves are a girl's best friend (after diamonds of course). They are truly a versatile fashion accessory! They can add the finishing touch to a cocktail dress or add a snazzy and lively vibe to an otherwise unexciting outfit. I even make sure to pack one on my travels as it helps me keep warm on those chilly planes. 

Believed to have its origins with the Romans, the scarf was originally used by men as a "sweat cloth" - to keep dry in the hot and humid weather. Later during the reign of the Chinese Emperor Cheng, scarves were used to identify officers or the rank of Chinese warriors. But today, it has become a fashion staple in every woman’s wardrobe, given the fact that there is a different scarf for every season and you can style them in a hundred different ways. (If you like experimenting with a scarf try wearing it in your hair like a bandana, knot it on your bag, fashion it as a belt or experiment different creative combinations to wear it around your neck by twisting, tying, looping or draping!) 

While I was looking online for scarves to gift to a dear friend, I stumbled upon Mayil Scraves. Mayil is Madavi Oliver's brain child. Madavi an engineer with a Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, followed by many years of Research at Harvard School of Public Health. In 2009 when Madavi decided to take a year's sabbatical, her heart led her to her ancestry of silk weaving. Completely enchanted by her new found love for fabrics, colors and textures she decided to follow the family tradition and started Mayil.

Let’s hear the story of Mayil from Madavi herself, “I grew up surrounded by the colors, fabrics and traditions of India. I come from a family of weavers. My cousin (Shanthi) still weaves exquisite silk sarees - one at a time. My great grandfather owned a silk saree shop (javuli kadai) in Nagercoil (southern India). I love the feel of fabric and it flows in me. Recently I decided to take the plunge and said "Goodbye Engineering - Hello Scarves" 

And if you are wondering how the name Mayil came about, she anwers that too, “Mayil means peacock in Tamil (spoken in southern India, one of the oldest surviving classical languages). Like feathers of the peacock, Mayil scarves are a kaleidoscope of colors. 18th century tailors were known to use the peacock feather as a symbol for their fine fabric creations. Add a splash of color, peacock style - be it the jewel tones of ruby red, emerald green and sapphire blue; the spice colors of turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and clove; the soft shades of jasmine and rose; or the metallic zari and shimmering sequins."

Based in Massachusetts (USA), Madavi travels to India often, to source her fabrics. Madavi thoroughly enjoys scouring the Indian textile markets for gorgeous fabrics like cotton, silk and chiffon and georgette to name a few. The jewel toned scarves range from tie&dyes, block prints of Rajasthan and Andra Pradesh, Kantha embroidery, to sequined work and tasseled beauties.These fabrics are then transformed by a group of women artisans from her rural village (back in India) who put the finishing touches on the scarves. 

Mayil's latest collection combines silk of Tamil Nadu, block prints of Andhra Pradesh and Kantha work of Bengal. Traditional block print designs have been made more elegant with kantha needlework outlining the block patterns. It doesn't get any better than this for a textile junkie does it? To pick yours today, order via Mayil's Etsy shop, Mayilscarves.com or their FB page.

Image Copyright/ Credit : Mayil