(design*sponge.guest blog) jodie fried

There’s so much to say and so little space, so today I’m going to give you a sneak peak into the design worlds behind some of my favourite products. For more about these amazing women visit Daily Imprint.

Burst of inspiration: Jodie Fried, Bholu

The story behind Bholu is inspiring enough – then you see and feel the product!

How and why did you start Bholu? Bholu was born after I had been living in India for a couple of years. I went there on a scholarship to work as a set and costume designer for a traditional Indian dance company and fell in love with the country and its people. After a devastating 2001 earthquake, I went to assist aid for a village in the desert region of Kutchchh. During this time I experienced amazing hospitality and became particularly close with the women, whose beautiful traditional embroidery is only really used for their own clothing. Immediately I thought I have to do something with this. A few years later, I went back with my designs and gave the samples to village women to see what would happen. I achieved some amazing results. The women laughed at the lack of sophistication of my designs and thought their “Bholu” could do better! (Bholu meaning a small child, often a term of endearment to a grandchild.) The name stuck and Bholu was born!

What are your favourite pieces from the range? I adore the toys - the result of a collaboration with the children in the slum communities. I designed them from their drawings, trying to be as accurate as possible to capture the awkward and childlike way children interpret their imagination. A lot of the creatures have quirky anatomy which makes them undefinable as a particular animal. Adults love them just as much the kids.

Images courtesy of Bholu