Arts
Seeing the bright side of life
Walking into the newly opened Colombo City Centre late last month, one barely knew where to look first. But amidst all the luxury brands and upmarket glamour was a cheerful-looking painted bullock cart, packed with an exciting array of brightly-coloured items that caught the eye and lifted the spirit.
Local inspiration: Some of Bakamuna’s bright and quirky products. Pix by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi
This is all Bakamuna and the Sunday Times Magazine caught up with lead designer Rochelle Bibile to talk about her work within the brand, and what led to this vibrant and unique line.
It all starts from a point of inspiration. Rochelle explains that it can come from anywhere as long as she connects with it personally. Even the name is a reflection of herself as a designer and self-branded ‘night owl’, as all her creative ideas come to her in the night.
Inspiration can come from anywhere, like elements from nature or local culture, or something she was inspired by while travelling, which is another passion of hers.
It just has to be the right elements, mediums, and colours and it can come together in different ways at different times.
“We use a lot of modern techniques but we also have a connection to old traditional methods,” she says, as she explains the concept behind the bullock cart and the use of traditional elements with a modern twist. “It’s a reflection of our work, how we don’t only stick to the computer and digital aspect. We also go the more traditional method of using our hands and paint and ink.”
The experimentation doesn’t stop at the design process. The variety of products is varied and interesting, ranging from prints on canvas, tote bags and cushion covers to phone cases, mugs, wooden magnets and little rubber elephant figurines that are also hand-painted.
The eclectic mix of design and culture celebrated through vibrant colour combinations is what gives Bakumuna’s range of products their signature relatable appeal, to both a local and international audience. Rochelle describes the feedback from the pop up stores and from what she has shared online as overwhelmingly positive, and this has led to many collaborations that have shaped and evolved the brand.
Any artist can attest to the difficulty of turning a hobby into a viable career, but Rochelle’s passion for art and design has been an intrinsic part of her since she was very little. She became a graphic designer by profession, and holds a Degree in Graphic Design from the Academy of Design Sri Lanka and a Masters in Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University UK.
Rochelle Bibile
However, she always knew that she wanted to do something more. Her love of illustration and using mixed media, using different mediums together like paint and ink combined with digital, became her signature style that is the foundation for Bakamuna.
“Sometimes in a normal graphic designer job, you don’t really get to experiment and you’re kind of stuck in a box,” she explains.“It’s 8 to 5 in front of a computer. I needed to do something more.”
She had already been selling her art through international online retailers when MTI Corporate Finance’s idea2fund came to her attention a year ago. The platform allows aspiring entrepreneurs to present their venture ideas, receive constructive feedback and financial support. Rochelle presented her ideas and the rest, as they say, is history. She handles the design and creative side of things, and MTI take care of the operational side.
“They asked me the right questions like ‘What do you really want to do?’ and for the first time I was able to really think about it. It expanded from there. I wouldn’t say I had it all figured out at the start, but it’s grown since last year and it’s still evolving.”
That flexibility in her plans is what led to the idea of having pop up stores rather than a permanent retail outlet or just an online store. The pop up store at CCC late last month was the second for the year, following a successful first run at the Hilton in June.
It allowed her to experiment and collaborate with people on projects that encapsulate the essence of Bakamuna, and to see what worked for both her schedule and the brand’s free-spirited concept.
“Also, none of us are really experts at retail!” she adds, laughing.
With the start of Bakumuna, Rochelle felt that it was important to use local suppliers for her products so that they can be involved in every step of production and be assured of the quality, and most importantly to make it authentically Sri Lankan with an international appeal.
After another successful pop up store run, the future is as bright as it is unrestricted. Rochelle recommends keeping up to date with the brand through their social media, as she is always posting about her creative processes or plans as they happen.
“We’re keeping it very open right now. If it really connects with us, we’ll go for it.”
Together with her small team, Rochelle hopes to keep that unique aesthetic and personal touch going with her audience, so that more people will connect with the brand and spread the ‘Bakamuna vibes’.
Bakamuna is also happy to do custom work on request. For more information or to get in contact, visit their website at bakamuna.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/Bakamunadesign and Instagram at instagram.com/bakamuna_design
