Behind the
BRAND of giving back. And so, that’s really a fundamental part of Clutches of Karma.” Even before she began turning a profit, she knew she wanted to design her business to contribute to a social cause. Recently there was a flood that displaced around 180,000 people in the Philippines. Kids who had lost everything were forced to live and work on the streets. Pia and her partners stepped up and contributed funds for them to go to school. Literally saving the world one clutch at a time, Pia sends at least 10 per cent of her profits to help her native community wherever there is need. But she couldn’t have done this without her mom—also known as her partner in fashion crime—who oversees production for her in the Philippines where the clutches are made. Mrs. Dargani will even take a laptop to the factory while they are Skyping to show her how things are looking. With some single bags taking upwards of 40 days to make, you can bet they’ve put in a lot of wireless time. “I’ve gotten really close to my mom,” says Pia. “I’ve always been close to her. But [this] has really made me value her in a very different way, and how much she’s helped me get through this. I’d say that’s the best thing that’s come out of it.” Dargani’s aptly named Clutches of Karma are available in local boutiques where she encourages you to pick them up before making your purchase. “You
can’t really understand the concept without actually touching it,” she insists. One of her favourites is the nearly tearshaped Lifeline. Which, with an uneven surface of shell pieces, has some serious weight to it. “It fits really well in your hand and it’s also a good weapon on a dark night!”
Karma, style and safety—she really has thought of everything. fw