"Kawleen Singh ( 26) and Nidhi Jalwal ( 22) make for unlikely business partners. They admit to having opposite mindsets and were on fighting terms with each other throughout their Bachelor’s in Fashion and Apparel Design ( with specialisation in Leather Design) at Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion Technology ( NIFT).
But they were united in their desire to start their own venture.
“ Once we graduated from NIFT, Kawleen worked for an export house for a while and I was planning to study Product Design. We realised that while a job offers stability, it curbs you creatively. So, Kawleen quit her job and after we pooled in our savings, we started PushMe Pull You in April this year,” says Jalwal.
The brand name is inspired by the Pushmi Pullyu character in the book Doctor Doolitle, which is a cross between a gazelle and a unicorn and has two heads at opposite ends of its body. It also represents different personalities and opinions that Nidhi and Kawleen possess that went on to shape the brand. Their mascot is also an animal with two heads ( one smiling, the other grinning).
“ Kawleen is clued into graphic designs while I love handicrafts and subtle designs. So, its a sort of tug of war to zero in on the final creations,” adds Jalwal. Luckily, they strike a balance. You’ll spot products that include graphics with earthy themes.
“ We offer products that we were looking for when we were students. Most of the items equate kitsch with ‘ Indianness’ but that’s not the overall picture. We offer subtler, non- kitschy designs,” adds Jalwal.
Their range of products includes notebooks, scarves, badges, totes, laptop sleeves, handbags and sling bags with an emphasis on using faux leather and canvas as a raw material. The products sport adorable emoticons such as the Gussewali Aunty ( the angry aunty living next door with her hair in a bun and a frown on her face), Swamiji ( a South Indian character with a benign smile), naughty schoolgirl Radha who studies in a vernacular medium school and a smiling Sardarji.
While other brands also feature Indian emoticons, Jalwal feels that their brand is different thanks to its minimal designs and plain artwork.
“ We disagree at times, and don’t talk to each other for 20 minutes. But then, we get back to work. It ensures versatility in our products,” reveals Jalwal."
(abstract from Mid Day Mumbai, sept 3rd issue by Soma Das)
Team PushMe PullYou
Kawleen Singh - I'm a 25 yr old designer based in Delhi. After graduating in leather designing from NIFT Delhi.Though being into accessories i have also developed a love for graphics.
I had fallen in love with design at an early stage. Though i hadn't realized it till the time i decided to join NIFT. Everything that emits fun inspires me. Be it sports, cartoons, friends, etc. and i want to introduce fun to people it has not been introduced to :D
I love playing in terms of graphics and surface explorations. I believe in not restricting myself with any thought flow and do whatever making non sense also sound sensible.
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Nidhi Jalwal - Nature is one great designer I love drawing inspiration from. I love to notice perfection in small imperfections in everyday life and it gets drawn in my work. My designs get their motivation from almost anything and everything! Be it magazines, movies, streets, dhabas, rural settings or the indigenous crafts practised in the remote locales of our country. I don't have a particular taste; I can be very modern at one instant and totally traditional at another. In fact I believe in my versatility lies my biggest strength. I have an inclination towards Indian handicrafts and I enjoy working with artists having totally different backgrounds in their own local crafts and design. My styles are not exaggerated, nor are they minimalist. It’s the right blend of these two extremes which forms the basis of whatever I design.
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