Yoga practitioner Andrea Brown recently started her label called Love From Bombay that sells customised, India-inspired, handmade yoga mat covers and leggings. She talks about the need to design these products and her love for Mumbai
At 27, Andrea Brown dons many hats. With a degree in finance and having worked with several NGOs, she came to Mumbai from Las Vegas four years ago to set up a Corporate Social Responsibility company. She is also a certified yoga teacher who freelances for an online portal and takes care of business development for an advertising company. Over a telephonic conversation, she shares with us her journey with Love From Bombay.
ADVERTISEMENT
Designer Andrea Brown
Q. How and when did you start making India-inspired yoga mat covers?
A. As a yoga practitioner, I was always on the lookout for yoga mat covers, but I didn’t find anything in Mumbai that was either pretty or funky. I found sporty bags, which were not feminine and definitely not unique. Everyone had the same black bag. Also, yoga straps didn’t work for me because the weather here is humid and if you expose your mats, they get spoilt easily. So I thought that if I can’t find one, I’ll make one. The yoga bags that I make are customised and are available in bright hues such as pink, red and orange. They also use a lot of brocade.
Q. Why did you name it Love From Bombay?
A. I’m really fond of the city but at the same time I was tired of taking typical souvenirs when I visited home. I was always on the lookout for something unique that my family and friends could use back at home. I have made fun stuff with Love from Bombay and it wouldn’t be called so, if it wasn’t made with love. (laughs)
Q. You also make leggings apart from mat covers. There are plenty available in the Indian market, so why did you want to experiment with them?
A. I wasn’t too comfortable wearing the leggings available here, as the fabric was flimsy and transparent. So, I decided to design leggings, too.
Colourful India-inspired yoga mats
Q. What challenges did you face while making the products?
A. Working with the team of tailors got really frustrating sometimes because of the language barrier. But I always had people willing to help. Also, all products available at Love From Bombay are completely handmade, so, we couldn’t afford to make mistakes. There have been instances where the tailors have used the wrong fabric because they weren’t comfortable using the fabric that I chose for a particular product. But we have sorted that out. It’s a smooth process now.
Love From Bombay has just started selling active wear. You can place your orders at lovefrombombay@gmail.com or love_from_bombay on Instagram
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
