Pure Ghee x KINGDOM.
Every item of clothing that I buy falls into one of two categories: high quality basics or wearable pieces of art. My wardrobe of basics exists so that I can look somewhat professional at work; if it were up to me, my wardrobe would only consist of loudest statement pieces. So it comes as no surprise that Pure Ghee makes my spidey senses tingle.
Pure Ghee designer, Aditi Prakash, designs with the intention of creating 'art for everyone', aiming to produce "...products people could use in their daily lives [as] something that would be in a gallery didn't really excite [her] as much as something [she] would use on a daily basis."
I totally get that feeling - it's like going to an art gallery and imagining where all of the beautiful pieces of art would fit in your house, only to remember that they're totally inaccessible and that you'll never be able to afford the originals (see: Ai Wei Wei's $9000 ceramic flowers). Story of my life.
Pure Ghee, however, does a brilliant job at bridging that gap - in fact, Pure Ghee does a great job at bridging multiple divides. Firstly, every piece is lovingly handmade using a variety of Indian textiles and traditional craft techniques. As a result, we get the opportunity to own our very own piece of wearable art (please take note Ai Wei Wei). Secondly, using a range of textiles and techniques serves as a way of connecting people, generations, and skills from all across India. Moreover, for the women piecing together each of these beautiful products, working at Pure Ghee isn't just about going to work and receiving training; it's also about making friends and being part of a supportive community.
To that, we say YES.
We value creativity, quality, connection, and community here at KINGDOM. a truckload too, so when Pure Ghee approached us to style a lil' lookbook for them, we gathered our gal pals together and made a day of it.
Please enjoy our representation of wearable art in the form of visual art.
“Each Pure Ghee bag is a coming together of my experience as a designer, and I would say even as a person.”
Our inspiration for the shoot stemmed first and foremost from the quality of the Pure Ghee products. The materials, stitching, handmade details and the overall finishing of the products were all of such a high standard. We wanted to create a concept that was deserving of the phenomenal Pure Ghee pieces.
The inky indigo and rich maroon, as well as the vibrant metallic details, deserved the spotlight, so we styled the pieces with black and white outfits. Moreover, we matched the structure of the accessories with items of clothing that also had strong architectural elements.
All bags by Pure Ghee.
Photography: Valerie Bong
Model: Grace Sketcher
Art direction: Vanessa Bong
Styling, hair and make-up, art direction: Hannah Pho
Clothes: Recycle Boutique