From the wild in style

Tigers, Gangetic River Dolphins, Indian Rhinos, Whale Sharks, Red Pandas and Olive Ridley Turtles might be dwindling in numbers but they are certainly making their presence felt as lifestyle trends. From workstation stationary to wristwatches, ties to saris, people are adopting these endangered animals not only as reflections of their conservationist mentalities but also as something that’s “cool.”

Pooja Verma, a senior officer at an infrastructure and education service company in Delhi, is grateful to a friend who gave her a calendar of bird photographs as a gift. “It has not only made my cubicle look beautiful, but has also informed me about these amazing but endangered birds. It also led to a birdwatching trip to Bharatpur recently, something I had always wanted to do but not realised the importance of. All these things keep one clued in,” she says.

Behind the trend are bodies such as WWF India and eco-conscious brands like Titan, which together have launched their first collection of unisex timepieces. “The watches have stylish etchings of endangered wildlife species such as the Red Panda and Gangetic River Dolphin set in exquisite dials. The innovative step not just reiterates our commitment towards protecting the environment, but also helps us take the cause of wildlife to people,” says Somprabh Singh, Senior Marketing Manager, Titan.

The initiative is not a first for WWF India, which had earlier done an “endangered species” range of saris and ties with fashion brand Satya Paul. “The Satya Paul range was a complete sell out and Titan’s too is showing good response. But more than sales, it helps the cause get awareness,” says Madhur Das, Director, Conservation Alliances, WWF India, adding, “Today, the WWF is associated with issues beyond wildlife. We work on subjects such as climate change and alternative livelihoods, amongst others. But people are not aware of this, and hence we find cause-based merchandise a solution. It helps us reach out to more people.”

While Titan’s time collection has been appreciated by both environmental enthusiasts and the youth, it has also helped spread the message of protecting the flora and fauna to the masses. Besides, the brand has kept aside a part of the proceeds from the range’s sale for the WWF to restore the natural habitat of the rare species. This is where the association of wildlife with lifestyle brands often leads to.

Lifestyle apparel brand, Turtle, in respect to the animal it gets its name from, launched an initiative, Save the Turtle in 2006. “We thought of associating with conserving endangered turtles as there was a lot of talk about their mass killing by humans. As of now, we are associated with the Wildlife Society of Orissa (WSO) in helping to conserve the endangered Olive Ridley turtles. We have plans to reach out to the areas where we can contribute in a considerable way. We will also communicate our commitment to our customers on the shop floor,” says Amit Ladsaria, Director, Turtle Limited.

With wildlife bodies planning to associate themselves with more products, eco-conscious brands and receptive customers to give the choice-cum-cause more momentum, there is still a lot left to do to make the planet safe for endangered species.