Merchandise pop-ups have hit Delhi and how. So much so that there are now 2-day events solely based on pop-up selling quirky, curated baubles all over the place. Though the concept is small the everyone has to find a niche within it. And The Indian Sky does it in its own simple way, cute, clean and on point posters, calendars, notebooks and such. We speak to Mana Vidiyalankar the brain and creative behind this shop of sweet little things and ask her how she makes it work.
What is The Indian Sky according to you and why is it called “Indian Sky”?
The Indian Sky combines my love for design, illustration, and typography to create colorful prints and paper goods. Here, you will find a melange of art prints, calendars, cards and home goods. I’m not entirely sure how I arrived at the name. There were days, when I was working in Bombay, where office work was slower than your creativity and all you could really do was sit on Marine Drive and dream about big projects. One day, a friend of mine turned around and suggested I start a blog. I could write about anything and everything and the name just randomly came up.
What made you start your own brand and how was the journey like?
Ever since I can sit straight I have been glued to the computer, exploring the online world and creating a space for myself in it. And I don’t remember ever wanting to do anything else. After graduating and working as a writer for a year or so, I decided to harness my creative juices and set up an online blog. This blog eventually morphed into an online paper goods shop. I have been happily creating ever since.
Where does your inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from the jumble of imagery my brain has archived over the past 24 years. My grandmother’s baking, childhood patterns, bohemian interiors, photography and lifestyle blogs. I have no formal training in design, so I try to absorb most of what I see around. I draw a lot of inspiration from interiors—eclectic spaces, dim lighting and white walls with just a hint of color. Offbeat packaging really inspires me and so does photography. A few of my designs are conceptualized while joking around with friends and family. Everyone is quick to point out when something someone said would make a great card or poster.
Your design have a certain look and feel to them, whom do you think they appeal to?
I love typography, quotes, movies and music. So I hope my designs call out to people who love these things too. I have a lot of music lyric posters that have found a place in homes of people who grew up loving The Beatles or John Lennon. Stationery fanatics and those who love the charm of handwritten cards have also taken a liking to my designs.
Where can people see your merchandise?
Currently I operate out of Facebook, Instagram and exhibitions. Soon we’ll have a website up!
You did a course in Advertising and then ventured out on your own. What would be one big advantage and one big disadvantage of doing so.
I did Advertising because I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted to do in life. Advertising educated me to the world of possibilities my creativity could have. This was probably the first time I realized that art and writing could find a job too. I did work for two years in media before I worked for myself, and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing! I am not sure I can list any disadvantages of taking up a course and then venturing out on your own. The course, the environment, the people and the experience is probably where I got the entire idea from!
