Meet Karishma Shahani of Princesse K

Hi fellow riders, today we are talking to Karishma from Princesse K, an independent handbag label based out of Mumbai, India. Created and fashioned by Karishma Shahani, the ideology of the design house is to produce an interesting mix of constructed designs for the discerning woman who has a keen interest in fashion.

Karishma also writes on fashion and lifestyle and her work has been published by various fashion magazines in India over the last few years

So Karishma, welcome to The Orange Bicycle blog where we tell your story the way it is. So tell us a little more about yourself – anything you want to share with us and our readers that will help us know you better 

Karishma: Well I started my career as a journalist where I worked for a leading daily followed by a fashion magazine writing about entertainment, lifestyle and fashion. I also started a boutique called Whym, where I was promoting young designers straight out of design school.  Post this I got a Master’s of Science in Luxury Goods & Services from the International University of Monaco and came back to start Princesse K.  

Wow you are definitely a woman of various talents - from journalism to fashion. So how and when did you get on with the idea of Princesse K?

Karishma: The idea for Princesse K came to me in April 2009. While studying for my masters I paid extra special attention to the handbag industry as it has always been my favorite accessory and the best part - one size fits all!!

We agree…I mean women and handbags…can they ever have enough? So tell us a little more about the handbags you make.

Karishma: The main theme running through our products is that they are all animal friendly. We don't use any leather or leather products while making bags. Instead we use a combination of fabric, faux leather and embellishments like gota flowers or embroideries to create trendy yet animal friendly bags.

So why Princesse K? Quite a glamorous name for a brand. Is there a story there?

Karishma: The name is inspired by Princess Grace Kelly who was the princess of Monaco and is a timeless style icon. While studying in Monaco, which is a principality, I got to learn a lot more about Princess Grace Kelly and started appreciating her style which inspired me to name the label after her. Of course the first initial of my name also starts with K.

Ya we always thought the K came from Karishma. So what inspires your work/creativity?  

Karishma: Ethnic Indian elements inspire me. I like to combine the contemporary with the traditional and create a unique but fun product.  Through my creations I strive to create the most utilitarian product and at the end of the day it is versatile, user friendly yet stylish.

So any great artists/designers work you admire/look upto?  

Karishma: My favourite art movements are Impressionism and Expressionism. Vincent Van Gogh, James Ensor, Monet, Matisse and Renoir are a few of my favorite artists. 

In terms of designers there are many just to name a few would be - Alexander McQueen, Lulu Guiness, Valentino, Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Anand Bhushan, Kallol Dutta, Anamika Khanna and the list goes on and on.

So besides what you do, how do you relax…what are your passions/hobbies? 

Karishma: Reading, writing, watching movies, discovering new cities.

So are you working on anything new?  

Karishma: I am currently on working on the next collection which will see a lot of use of traditional Indian fabrics with a contemporary twist. 

For all our dear readers, who are in various parts of the country, where can they find your stuff?  

Karishma:Princesse K is available in various stores across the country. Here is a link to where all you can find us - http://princessek.com/locations/

So tell us, some advice for all - five things that you think are necessary to be successful at what you do?  

Karishma:Be passionate, informed, do your research well, figure out your finances and don’t sweat the small stuff, always look at the long term benefits.

That sounds like a cool formula for success. Thank you Karishma for your candid chat and thank you for being part of The Orange Bicycle. We wish you more success. All the best.

And now for our pick – we definitely recommend the ikkat print clutch – Indian is the way to go. Come check her Indian themed bags and clutches at The Orange Bicycle – it’s different, its new and its stylish.