FICCI FLO Chennai, the women wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) hosted a landmark event in the city on 21st September 2024 with a fashion show presented by the leading design house, Raw Mango who showcased their latest collection ‘Garland – Festive 2024’ alongside the iconic South Indian fine jewellery brand, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ).
Set against the iconic 1896-built theatre, the newly restored space at Chennai Museum, the show saw the coming together of Raw Mango and VBJ, who presented their collections for the upcoming festive season.
The Raw Mango collection explored the symbolism of garlands through scale and form, drawing inspiration from their omnipresence in our culture—from floral toran and braided malas to the sculpted garlands seen in Mauryan statues. Motifs are highlighted through intricate embroidery on brocade and contrasting color appliqué, with celebratory hues like gulkand rani, petal pink, mogra white, and raw green mango leaves.
Designer and Founder of Raw Mango, Sanjay Garg shared, “Garlands are symbols of blessing, love, and worship. They are not just about adornment; they carry deep meaning and emotion. I’m excited to be presenting this collection in Chennai, a city I love and admire for its rich language of flowers and garlands.”
Underlying its historic commitment towards heritage, culture and craftsmanship, VBJ presented its remarkable collection of festive pieces that pay homage to the city’s rich heritage and its inherent love of garlands.
Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Amarendran Vummidi, Managing Partner, Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers said, “We were delighted to partner with FICCI Flo and Raw Mango for this seminal event. Together, we showcased our exquisite creations that celebrated the enduring artistry of India. A true amalgamation of unique craftsmanship and intricate design.”
At the forefront of creating new conversations, this event was presented by FICCI FLO Chennai for over 450 prominent guests from the city.
Chairperson of FICCI FLO Chennai, Dr.CA.CMA.CS. Divya Abhishek, remarked, “This spectacular event beautifully celebrates Chennai’s legacy through a blend of design and heritage. We are delighted to be the first city worldwide where Raw Mango is showcasing its new Festive collection – Garland; alongside jewellery from one of the city’s most renowned houses – Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers.”
About FICCI Flow
FLO is the women wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), an all-India forum for women, FLO has its headquarters in New Delhi, with 20 chapters covering different geographical regions of India including Chennai. FLO represents over 14,000 women entrepreneurs and professionals and has been promoting entrepreneurship and professional excellence among women through workshops, seminars, conferences, training and capacity building programmers etc.
The objective of the organization is to encourage and facilitate women to showcase their talents, skills, experiences and energies across sectors and verticals of the economy, for a truly inclusive economic growth trajectory.
About Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers
Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ) is a leading fine jewellery brand in South India. The brand is known to offer exceptional value to its customers, myriad choices and extraordinary quality in diamond jewellery, gold jewellery and Silver Ware. Established in 1900, VBJ is trusted by over six generations and has unflinchingly stood the test of time when it comes to harnessing the trust of patrons since its inception. Now VBJ has opened its first store in Dallas, U.S.A since October, 2023.Today, VBJ has a significant presence, with two showrooms in Chennai (Gemini and Annanagar). The website www.vummidi.com allows jewellery connoisseurs to peruse through their elaborate collections. Vummidi Silverware (www.vummidisilverware.com) is synonymous with stunning designs and master artisanship, using its expertise for generations, to translate nature, ideas, precious stones and pure Silver, into veritable pieces of art. Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers boasts of a full-service in-house unit comprising of a ‘Creative Center’, responsible for conceptualising unique and original designs and making the same at their own state-of-the art manufacturing facility.
About Raw Mango
Raw Mango draws from the colors, philosophies and cultures of India to create a unique voice, questioning place and perspective through design. With roots in craft and community, Raw Mango’s relationship with handloom began in 2008 as an investigation of possibilities. As a design house it continues to create new conversations in textile and culture through a range of saris, garments and objects. Created with karigars across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Varanasi, Raw Mango’s designs innovate upon centuries-old skills, in pursuit of defining a new aesthetic vocabulary.
Committed to experimentation, Raw Mango continues to engage with established rubric to imagine new possibilities in design and aesthetics. Inherent revivalist of India textiles, Raw Mango’s works have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the V&A Museum and the Design Museum in London, and more recently at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
The brand is present across all major cities in India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Raw Mango Chennai – Malligai, No 2/15 Cenotaph 1st Lane, Ganapathy Colony Main Rd, Teynampet
