So, this little blog (yes, I shall try to keep it short) is a quick look the inspirations behind the bag making journey at Gurbanji.
I have been asked a few times - "So, you sew bags - like you?" or "Only Bags? No clothing or maybe even a saree blouse stitching?" and the most awkward of all "Can you do some alterations?" I call it the bane of being a small business entrepreneur & mostly have a well practiced smile as a standard response. (But the next time someone asks me these same questions I shall surely share this blog link with them!)
One of the biggest motivations for me - behind the bag making journey has been feminism.
Bags & Feminism - what's the connection? So, that's what this blog is all about.
We had just moved back to Bangalore and colour television was a brand new addition to the otherwise mundane routine life of the 90s.
One late evening a catchy Kannada song was playing on the TV - “Ee Shatamanada madari hennu…” which translates to “I am an example of the modern independent woman, who lives on my own terms”. This song was from a 1975 Kannada movie called ShubhaMangala. It was a wonderful movie about a of course an independent woman. So, what’s the connection to this song & bags. This entire song is centered around the heroine’s handbag - this handbag has all her money which gives her the confidence to claim in the song that she is modern independent women who is going live life on her own terms. Since then on - it was a simple point of reference every time I watched a movie.
If the women was college / office going - independent - strong & had a mind of her own then she usually managed her affairs & finances - which meant she usually carried a handbag !!
Cinema - and more so the women in those stories were truly a representation of the social fabric at any given point in time. And the history buff that I was I started reading about bags and their evolution.
The drawstring or the potli bag was probably the world's first unisex bag bag across the world. This humble bag has now evolved into a much celebrated bag with multiple variations for every occasion. The bucket bag is an evolution of the same drawstring bag.
Check out our potli party at : https://www.gurbanji.in/potli-party
Then came about the cross-body messenger bags - the earliest reference of this bag is during the Greek times. The horse back messenger had to deliver messages without dismounting the horse and had to easily access the right message to be given quickly to its recipient and this was the perfect design. This design has evolved to be a unisex sling bag/cross body bag - ranging from laptop bags to simple errand runner bags.
The staple simple sling bags . Check out our sling bag collection at : https://www.gurbanji.in/sling-bags
But when did the first bags that were made exclusively for women appear on the scene?
Around the 1860's the first leather handbag arrived on the scene . Inspired by the luggage of that time - the holdall . The first bag for women was basically a miniature solid holdall with a handle for travelling.
But unlike previous strap -on holdalls - this bag had a unique feature - the zipper closure.
So, for the first time ever, there was a bag for women that was easy to carry & had a secure closure.
The humble "Holdall" reimagined as the Barrel Bag at Gurbanji
Now, women no longer needed men with pant pockets (well women in pants with workable pockets is a story for another day!) & jackets or overalls to accompany them or look after their affairs and their money.
So for the first time women could probably carry their own money & other essentials literally in their hands!! From a simple functional hold-all bag which is today called the barrel bag to handbags being a fashion statement - bags have had an adventures journey.
Inspiration from the "Bag" from the Movie "Shubhamangala". This bag in itself is inspired by the "Kelly Bag" - first designed by Hermes fashion house in 1892.
This bag is made famous by the American actress Grace Kelly, who went on to become Princess of Monaco & appeared on the cover of a magazine with the Hermes Bag.
The dressy & fashionable clutch bags - the era of disco dance l has an entire fan base.
And paying ode to this culture is our silk bags & clutches at : https://www.gurbanji.in/utsava
Bags that are functional - celebrating the various shapes & forms of bags that influence inspire and are an essential part of any independent women who has chosen to wear her freedom on her hands. This has been one of the biggest motivation or me behind bag making at gurbanji.
We are the strongest when we are our true selves & cheer on for one another.. May we women continue to celebrate ourselves & each other. And flaunt it proudly on our arms!
Women & Bags : Fashion or Independence? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Love & Light, Divya Kamath
Handcrafter @ Gurbanji
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