Twelve Twenty: A Mother-Daughter Duos Tale of Handmade Bags

How often have you thought about packing your two or three days’ clothes and not finding an appropriate bag to fit them in? You either have medium-sized trolley bags, or your daily handbags are too small to carry your two-day luggage.

Meet Monika Leekha and Nimisha Leekha, a Delhi-based mother-daughter duo who have solved your problem by introducing their brand, Twelve Twenty, a collection of handmade bags for your every daily necessity. 

These handmade bags are not just accessories; they are a blend of aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability to create a brand experience that is not just seen or heard but deeply felt and remembered.

Origin of Twelve Twenty

Twelve Twenty, the brand, found its name from the respective birthday dates of Monika, 12 November, and Nimisha, 20 February. The brand symbolizes a unique fusion of personal touch, and reviving the charm of handmade items from our dadi and nani. 

It all started when Monika frequently visited her parents’ house and faced trouble packing her two- to three-day clothes in a suitable bag for a weekend with her kids. Monika wanted to bridge this gap, so she considered bringing back the tradition of handmade cotton bags.

The concept was simply to create reusable, washable, and easy-to-carry cotton bags. And for that the mother-daughter duo implemented their idea by sourcing top-quality fabric to select the best components for their quilted cotton bags, where every detail mattered. 

Monika's daughter Nimisha helped her pick out the colors and designs for the bags, resulting in the uniqueness of their products. Working with talented tailors and pattern makers, they aim to craft a bag that seamlessly merges style and utility.

At Twelve Twenty, you can find a vibrant, colorful, and diverse range of utility products that include all daily use categories, such as duffle bags (both medium and large), tote bags, backpacks, vanity bags, laptop sleeves, sanitary pouches, keychains, and tea coasters.

What Makes Twelve Twenty Stand Out?

The quilted cotton bags at Twelve Twenty are for females of every age who can use these bags ranging from 15 to 80 years, having something for everyone. They are super comfortable, and their straps are designed not to strain the shoulders despite being carried for long hours. The prints the duo deals with are 100% washable and do not bleed when washed or soaked. Monika and Nimisha are working towards sustainability, as they are not using any faw leather or synthetic material to make these handcrafted bags. Their western prints are unlike any other prints that are common in design, and their best-quality quilted cotton makes their bags sturdy in appearance.

The kind of hurdles Monika and Nimisha faced so far

Monika thought things would be slightly more accessible for them to execute as being an accessories brand. Still, when the business started, they encountered many challenges, like finding the right tailors to stitch these handmade bags and convincing the ones who knew this art but thought it was long forgotten. Secondly, even when procuring the raw materials, it was not easy for Monika to get the right fabrics as one can easily find for apparels to design. Monika says, “It was a very uphill task for us.”

Mission and Vision of Twelve Twenty

Monika and Nimisha want to build their brand to a huge level where people start relating bags to their brand, Twelve Twenty. They believe in giving back to the community by focusing on “Vocal for Local,” as their brand mostly sources its raw materials locally. The duo is also creating employment opportunities by hiring women who are good at stitching and talented at making handmade bags.

The duo, complement each other in their entrepreneurial partnership. Monika takes care of the production, and Nimisha, a data analyst, takes care of the digital marketing. They mainly promote their products online via social media channels like Instagram and Facebook, and they have recently started going to exhibitions to showcase their unique handmade bags. 

Twelve Twenty’s presence has received quite a lot of recognition. As sitting in Delhi, they are getting orders from Assam, Kashmir, Maharashtra, and many other places. The feedback people share is so overwhelming that they are not tired of appreciating the quality of these bags. 

Monika shares that what she loves about her brand is that sometimes girls aged 10 years or younger get attracted to seeing their bags, and they pull their parents to their stalls to make them purchase something. She loves seeing that happiness in their eyes, which makes her believe she has made a mark so far.

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