Over a century ago, Pablo Picasso experimented with mixed media in art by combining materials like paper and fabric with traditional painting techniques. His piece – Still Life with Chair Caning – is a famous example of mixed media for the use of oil paint, printed oilcloth, and rope to simulate a chair seat. He and French painter Georges Braque are considered to be pioneers of mixed media during the early 20th century.
Cut to now: the same spirit has been carried into luxury craftsmanship at Aranyani. Here, a bag is not just an accessory – it’s a space for art…a surface where hand painting, embroidery, and even 24-carat gold gilding come together to tell a deeper story.
Mixed media on luxury handbags
At Aranyani, mixed media translates to blending techniques like painting, stitching, and gold gilding onto leather. Leather is a challenging material to work with. But that is also what makes it special!
Using leather as a base, our artists apply hand-painted patterns, fine embroidery, and — something very few in the world attempt — gold gilding. That’s right: actual gold leaf, traditionally used on palace domes and temple interiors, is now adapted by Aranyani artisans for leather. It took months of experimentation and collaboration with master craftsmen from Jaipur to perfect a paste that helps gold adhere to such a pliable surface.
This isn’t about adding ornamentation for the sake of beauty. Every detail, from the brushstroke to the gold accent, is placed with intent. Whether it’s the curve of an eagle in flight or the quiet bloom of the Lily of the Valley, the story is always personal.
Through the designer’s lens
Rakhee Shenoy, a textile designer and mixed media artist who collaborates with Aranyani, puts it simply:
“Mixed media is just how I think. Bringing together different textures — paint, embroidery, even gold — makes the piece more tactile, more alive. It’s not flat anymore. People want to touch it, turn it around, look closer.”
Rakhee says being involved in the creative process from the very beginning, right from building the story, choosing colours, and shaping the concept, has been deeply fulfilling. “There’s one design I feel especially close to — the Eagle and the Lily of the Valley. It carries both strength and softness. I could relate to that.”
Heirlooms in the making
At Aranyani, nothing is mass-produced. Every product is high-quality, hand-made, and crafted to last, much like art that can be passed down through generations. Every stitch and surface detail speaks to a blend of skill, heritage, and imagination.
The exceptional quality of Aranyani’s products is made possible by the skilled hands behind them. At our atelier, leather artisans are trained to think and work like artists. Each year, they undergo specialised upskilling under the guidance of master craftsmen from Italy, continually refining their techniques to meet the high standards of artistic expression that define Aranyani.
At a time when so much feels disposable, Aranyani’s mixed media creations ask us to pause. To feel. To notice. Because when a bag becomes a canvas, it also becomes a story.
To experience Aranyani’s mixed media work, visit https://aranyani.com/artistry/mixed-media
