The LOVE collection finds its roots in the bold, sculptural presence and intricate geometry of the Thandatti. When we began ideating, we were engulfed by a series of questions about this timeless ornament:
- How did it transcend time?
- What is the story behind its inception?
- Who wore it and why?
- Why is it fading away?
Little has been written about the Thandatti and its design lineage, at least digitally. Yet, in conversations with the Paatis who still wear them, it became clear that these pieces hold centuries of undocumented stories, an unknown evolution, and a looming disappearance.
We did not want to recreate the Thandatti
Rather than recreating the Thandatti, we drew from its geometric essence––the strength of its forms, symmetry, and bold presence––and carry it forward into new expressions of love.
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Love as lived, not spoken: quiet, steady, not literal, visceral. Expressed in presence rather than words.
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Love as art, and resistance: like a sign language for humanity, disruptive, connective. An act of respectful defiance.
A big focus, of course, was to keep the pieces lightweight, comfortable, and wearable for all, without losing their bold, geometric character.
But the question remained: how do we honor the legacy of the Thandatti? It was a tangled yarn of history, memory, and meaning. While we knew we weren’t the right people to untangle it, we wanted to enable someone. Because these stories of design, identity, and belonging deserve to be remembered.
Kadhal Fund
With the Kadhal Fund we are therefore setting aside a portion of sales from our upcoming LOVE collection to enable the design, cultural, and anthropological documentation of the Thandatti. We are currently looking for a researcher to lead the initiative, and the project will be managed independently by Mukesh Amaran, an arts manager based in Chennai.
Guiding Principles
With this fund we hope to create a public resource that becomes a time capsule in retrospect. Something we can all learn from and build on, allowing the Thandatti’s legacy to live. So we wanted to make sure we have some guiding principles for us on this journey:
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Cultural respect and preservation
We want to honor the Thandatti as living heritage, not as a relic. Every act of documentation should be respectful of the communities we speak to, their memories, and stories. -
Integrity and transparency
We seek honesty, clarity, and accountability in research methods, storytelling practices, and fund use. -
Collaboration, not extraction
We want to work with local communities as partners in this endeavor, not mere subjects.
We live in a world where often love feels like a feeling that is hard to find, but it's the only way forward. With this collection our main hope is that we remind ourselves to make space for it – to show up in unexpected ways. Like it did for us when we say a graffiti tag from the @lovecrew
