Our Story
The idea to launch Marigold Tiger began with a holiday to India – an experience rich in history, culture and yes, legendary shopping! Under the sublime sunlight, shops brim with dizzying towers of carpets, endless stacks of patterned fabric and irresistible cases of princess-worthy jewelry.
Beyond the buzz of the shops came the calm of a tiger reserve where the atmosphere was one of quiet elegance set within a tranquil landscape that for centuries, and up until the 1950s, had been the hunting grounds of Indian royalty.
India understands balance: in the sweet and spice of a simple cup of chai or in the peaceful focus of a vendor stringing flower garlands at a traffic-crammed roadside stall. But it struck me most in the balance between the conservation of the Bengal tigers and the well-being of the people of Ranthambhore, a small village in Rajasthan on the perimeter of this tiger reserve.
Easy, luxe pieces give an effortlessly polished look: A concept we hope makes your day a little happier.
It’s a balance that began with the vision of Mr. Fateh Singh Rathore, who, as field director of Ranthambhore Park during the 1970s, witnessed an unremitting drop in the tiger population - precipitated by hunting and poaching and furthered by the loss of habitat that resulted from villagers drawing on the Park’s forest for firewood, and vegetation for livestock. He devoted his life to ‘saving the tigers by saving the people’ and his legacy continues with a local school dedicated to him and his ethos of people living in harmony with their surroundings. It’s a win-win balance that continues to work and one that Marigold Tiger supports by donating a percentage of profits to his school, and in particular, tuition and books for girls who are less likely to be given an opportunity for education.
Marigold Tiger products are made by hand - printed, dyed, embroidered and set - by women artisans in Ranthambhore. It’s an arrangement that supports the value of their skills while promoting self-reliance.
And why Marigold? These bright happy blooms are considered auspicious and used in Indian ceremonies both grand and everyday making it the perfect flower to inspire us all to celebrate life’s moments big and small.
After years working in glossy women’s magazines as a writer and stylist, I now write more fiction than fashion, but still believe in the value and pleasure of presenting a polished look, albeit with minimal fuss. Marigold Tiger aims to help you do just that with beautiful, handmade pieces that give back while giving you easy choices that we hope enhance life’s happy times.