Models Tanushree and Priyanka Pal with designer Chandrani Bhaumik (right). Picture by Rashbehari Das

Colour, canvas and nature, passions that Chandrani Bhaumik nurtured since childhood. The 26-year-old left no stones unturned to live her dreams to the fullest, that of “doing something creative, something on her own”. Today Chandrani is the proud creator of Muniya’s, a designer label that was unveiled at Outram Club on Friday.

Just another fashion label by just another designer? No way. For Chandrani or Muniya, as she is popularly known among friends and family, is the perfect example of talent against all odds. Being speech-and-hearing impaired since birth, the Kala Bhavan pass-out expresses herself through her clothes, treating textiles, weaving tapestry and painting. “As a kid, Chandrani spent hours with her box of crayons and colour pencils. She was a perfectionist. Her colours would hardly stray from the pencil outlines,” says Nandini Sinha, Chandrani’s mother.

After Madhyamik, Chandrani got through Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, and there was no looking back. Armed with a first class in Bachelor of Fine Arts (diploma) in textile design and a first class in Masters of Fine Arts (diploma) with specialisation in weaving, the debutante designer loves experimenting with vegetable, chemical, natural and acid dyes, embellishments, weaves and block printing. She takes pride in creating her own blocks. While at Kala Bhavan, Chandrani further mastered techniques of dyeing and weaving at the institute of Weavers’ Service Centre at Santiniketan.

Speaking of Chandrani, Nandini says: “Academics was more of a struggle with people doubting her capabilities often, but at the art college, she was never underestimated. Her professors pushed her to do her best.” She adds: “Initially Chandrani was interested in animation and graphics, but her professors influenced her to specialise in weaving.” A decision that helped her to work better with fabrics once she started fashion designing.

Chandrani’s tryst with fashion designing took off full-time after meeting Calcutta-based designer Chhuti back in 2002. “Chhuti unfolded the unlimited scopes in fashion, the array of mediums and the wonders you could create with fabrics. She also guided her through the nuances of this field and the finer aspects of commercialisation,” adds Nandini. Chhuti, on the other hand, believes “all this was possible because Chandrani is really hardworking. She will do great in future.”

The young lady, who will scribble artistically on anything she lays her hands on, has been quite busy since last year. Juggling visits to emporiums and markets to choose fabrics, finalising designs, grasping the fabric falls, spending time at her Southern Avenue and Santiniketan workshops and marriage that happened in November 2005. Her other engagements include training two others in block printing and stitching.

“Wearable clothes” is Chandrani’s focus. Muniya’s offers an array of kurtis, salwar suits, and dupattas. The fabrics used are mostly khadi, tussar and tussar-cotton blend. From sea green to ochre to browns to whites, the colours are close to nature with occasional purples and reds. The design scheme is more of foliage illustrations too. The look is further accentuated with batik, applique, sequins and bandhni. Intricate kantha work lends the kurtas and shirts for men a rich look.

Her next collection with geometric patterns and an interesting colour palette promises to be quite different from this pre-Puja collection. As of now, Chandrani is eagerly awaiting a positive response from her first exhibition at Rotary Sadan, which is scheduled to be unveiled on September 1 at 5 pm and continues till September 3. The timings are 2 pm to 8pm. After the exhibition, Chandrani plans to retail from Vasundhara, Block 2, 204 NSC Bose Road.

Apart from the clothes line, the three-day exhibition will also showcase framed tapestry woven on handloom, bed and table linen, cushion covers, bags and kalamkari lampshades.

Talking about Chandrani’s future, Nandini says that her daughter dreams of opening a boutique one day. Till then it is working hard with colours and fabrics, studying the market and living life to the fullest.