Meet Diana Linda of Diana Linda!

Hello fellow riders, hope you are enjoying our blog chats with our multi-talented designers – our window into their lives and inspiration. Do give us your feedback, comments how we could make this better. We always appreciate feedback.

Today we are talking to Diana Linda of Diana Linda brand – the Bombay hippie-kitsch fashion maker

Hi Diana, so nice to finally chat with you. We want to know so much about you and your brand. So let’s get started!

Diana, tell us a little more about yourself?

Diana: I am an expatriate living in India since the year 2002. I used to work with the international NGO, Medecins Sans Frontiers or Doctors Without Borders for eight years before I decided to follow my passion for designing.

So in short I am an Italian based in Mumbai. And I love Mumbai and Indian culture.I love classical music, movies, theatre, yoga, dance, and philosophy.

Wow, an Italian with an Indian Heart – that’s an unique mix. So how & when did you get started with the idea of Diana Linda?   

Diana: Commercially speaking 3 years ago, but since many years at an experimental and personal level

So tell us a little more about your products? (Is there a theme? a process? a cause?)  

Diana: Many of my items have Bollywood themes and posters. Some are collage based. The collage is done by hand and afterwards it is scanned. Other items are also based on recycling; such as a collection of papier mache bangles and necklaces or another of bangle made out from coca cola bottles or bisleri with still the collage technique. Also recycling coffee boxes, magazine with table mats, trunks with spray paints.

The cause is in the way that I work: I work with a group of women coming from an NGO called OJUS medical and the Damini project: they are all women from slum or unprivileged background, or with health problems such as HIV.

All the items are unique and there is no mass production, majority of items are done by hand and then assembled by machine, but each item is different from the other even in the same model

Wow coca cola bottles and bisleri? That sounds extremely amazing. So Diana what inspires you?  

India, Mumbai, Bollywood, colors, imagery, photography.

I am inspired mainly by India and its vibrant colours; my design spells Mumbai-Bombay- Bollywood with its pop culture, kitsch and drama. My products feature techniques like collage, patchwork, decoupage, spray painting and embellishment of all sorts. You can find an assortment of traditional Indian handcrafted embroidery, lush fabrics, old Bollywood posters and even saree borders. In one word – the style sense is funky!

I am amazed at how much India has inspired you given that you are not even from this country. So do you admire any of our designers work? And International too?  

Diana: Oh there are many Sabyasachi, Alexander Mc Queen, Manish Arora, Vivienne Westwood...and many others

So what are your passions/hobbies?  

Diana: Photography, collage, travelling, theatre, studying and learning everyday something new! And yoga is more than a hobby; it’s a way of life and philosophy

That is so wonderful that you do pursue such a variety of passions.

So tell us are you working on something totally new?

Diana: Yeah some clothes

Hmm so that is something we definitely look forward to.

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

Diana: The shops are amethyst Chennai; you, bliss, vit k, sakpal, azadbazar in mumbai, studio Rudraksh in Pune, Xela, Esperanto in Goa...and The Orange Bicycle in Bangalore... hope I didn’t forget any :)

Ok and lastly, any advice for our readers?

Diana: Never keep it just in the mind, just go for it from an idea or from a detail, take a pencil, or a cloth or whatever item and start...the creativity will come by itself. And creativity comes from mistakes more than from perfection! :-). Fashion is a matter of disproportion

That’s such a cool piece of advice. I totally agree. Thank you Diana for your time and patience. It was wonderful knowing you a little more than we already do through your lovely products.

Now for some recommendation from our side – we pick the brocade half and full sandal boots – they totally take the cake in terms of innovation, creativity, color, hip and kitsch all rolled into one. You will love it the moment you see it.

Also do check out her Bollywood totes/bags – extremely unique, colourful and truly Bollywood. So if you love Bollywood, you will fall in love with her brand.

Come see her unique stuff only at The Orange Bicycle in Bangalore!