In line with the focus on the Make in India' and Local for Global' campaigns, the first luxury handbag brand from India amalgamating traditional Indian craftsmanship, contemporary format and design was launched at the Consulate General here.
The exclusive handbag collection 'Aranyani', which means the goddess of the forest in Sanskrit, was showcased at a special event organised at the Consulate General of India here as part of efforts to take Indian products to the global stage and raise India's export profile.
Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a gathering at the event on Wednesday, said that the launch of 'Aranyani' symbolises the best of India coming to New York and combines the best of both the traditional and the modern world.
It is an Indian attempt to delve deep into our past and see how we can craft a sustainable future. It combines the best and age-old craftsmanship from India with new age design and fashion, he said.
Jaiswal said that the product is an idea that reflects the vibrancy", energy, enterprise and entrepreneurship of India today.
In establishing the brand, Founder and Chairperson of Aranyani' and Sai Lakshmi Industries Haresh Mirpuri told PTI that he was inspired to make India's name proud globally.
He said it was time to create the first modern luxury handbag from India, which is the oldest civilisation known to mankind and one that has developed architectural and manufacturing skills over centuries.
This journey of creating luxury is actually personally a very spiritually uplifting journey. I believe that to build a luxury brand necessitates a positive impact at every touch point. We started this process by creating an atelier that respected the people and our surroundings, he said.
'Aranyani', which follows a zero-waste manufacturing strategy, is a paperless and plastic-free atelier and one that honoirs its craftspersons by putting their names in every QR code in each and every bag ensuring the buyer knows who made the product, Mirpuri said.
He said the brand follows a design philosophy that reminds us of the contribution of nature to our lives by incorporating modernity in its design and art forms and yet using traditional skills .
Mirpuri said he was ready to launch the brand in February 2020 but the plan got impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a time that tested the strength of our belief as a growing community bound by the SAI values of service, awareness and inclusivity.
The company is looking to partner with certain retailers in New York and also planning to open stores in London, to be followed by New York.
The Consulate said the event was part of efforts to take Indian products to the global stage and raise India's export profile, a step in the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Vocal For Local and Local for Global campaign.
Jaiswal noted that the government-supported programme called One District One Product' (ODOP) is focussed on putting on the global map as well as on India's domestic map at least one product from each district of the country because that is the kind of depth, traditional knowledge, artisanship, craftsmanship and industry we have.
India posted a record USD 418 billion of exports in 2021-22, an increase from USD 292 billion in 2020-21, years that witnessed the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Jaiswal added.
Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation in New York City Mayor Eric Adams' Office for International Affairs Dilip Chauhan said that the pandemic presented challenges for New York City.
He emphasised that just as in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 financial crisis, the vibrant city will bounce back and rise again from the pandemic with the support of the business community, the diaspora and its residents.
