One of the most interesting things about Ohrna’s work is our presence in India, one of the world’s most multicultural and multilingual countries.
In the lead-up to NY NOW, we have added several new materials and artistic traditions from around India.
One of them is called khunn.It is a woven silk-like fabric common to southwestern and western India and traditionally used for sari blouses.
We have started experimenting with ikkat, a style of weaving dyed fabricswidespread in southern and eastern India that is rapidly becoming popular globally.
Brocade is common in north India and along with raw silk, is letting us experiment with richer and classier looks that the fabrics inherently carry.
And of course the traditional tie-dye bandhnistyle from India’s western and northwestern desert regions, with its vibrant colors, has made our product line richer and more vibrant!
Besides our explorations with fabrics, we’ve innovated with our products as well and also adapted some for a Western audience.
Meditation mats, for example, are a very personal item that creates that connection for an inner journey with yourself. However we recognized that sitting cross-legged on the floor is not as common in the US as it is in India. So we adapted our mats to become meditation cushions!
We consider our new ‘harmony’ pattern, which we are debuting at NY NOW as a culmination and symbol of who we are. They depict the harmony between trees, birds, animals and people. We have applied this theme and pattern to our set of 4 cushions, using 4 traditional motifs of kantha embroidery, which is a hallmark of Ohrna. We have chosen to complement rustic jute in its neutral and natural color, with 4 vibrant colors in rich raw silk, giving it a classy and exclusive look. And they are all embroidered in dull gold.
Be sure to look them up in the ‘Destination: New’ exhibit at NY NOW.
And don’t miss also, our journal with penholder selected and displayed at the ‘Sustainability: Design for a Better World’ exhibit!
We hope you will come visit us in New York, to help us continue this conversation and join us on our journey!
Ohrna believes in responsible design. Our focus is use of sustainable materials, employment of rural women, preservation of rich craft traditions and packaging in up cycled materials.
We train for free and often employ women with minimum skills. We design to customers' needs and also constantly adapt our designs for ease of making, for our makers. Most of our artisans are from Mann Deshi Foundation.