Live Hand-Painted Accessories for Events
I bring my live art station to your venue, turning wallets, tags, and bags into personalized keepsakes for your guests on the spot.
A candid moment from the TUMI event where guests are choosing their favorite city-themed luggage tag design. The "Bombay duh" choice was definitely a popular one among the crowd.
A top-down view of my workstation during a busy live event. You can see I'm working on personalizing Goyard wallets, with my professional paints and a much-needed coffee ready to go.
Here I am interacting with a customer at the Project Tete-a-Tete festive edit. She's checking out a pair of custom-painted sneakers at my pop-up, "The Art Nook by Ridhii Makkar."
A close-up of me painting a custom initial onto a canvas tote bag at a pop-up event. This kind of on-the-spot personalization is a huge draw and makes for a great guest experience.
The finished product. This tote bag features a custom initial with a cool, layered 3D effect, all hand-painted live at the event. Guests love taking home a functional and personalized piece of art.
My pop-up stall, "The Art Nook," at a festive edit event. On display are a pair of my custom gold glitter Nike Air Force 1s, showing the kind of detailed work I can do.
A customer discussing a custom design with me for a tote bag at my live art station. I work with each person to bring their idea to life, making the experience truly collaborative.
A wider shot of my setup at the Project Tete-a-Tete event. I was busy all day painting custom designs on tote bags for shoppers, creating unique keepsakes for them.
Another great interaction from the TUMI event. Guests were so excited about the custom luggage tags that they were asking me to save specific designs for them. It's all about creating that personal connection.
The mandatory elevator selfie after a marathon 52 hours of painting for the TUMI collaboration. It was exhausting but so rewarding to see the event's success.
About Beyond the Sneaker: Bags, Wallets & More
When I work on luxury surfaces like Goyard or Louis Vuitton, it is not just about adding a name. I use professional Angelus leather paints and specific deglazers to ensure the design integrates with the factory finish without damaging the leather. Whether it is a metallic initial on a wallet or a monogram on a luggage tag, the result is a clean, factory-quality look that guests can take home and use immediately.
Live customization changes the energy of an event. Instead of a boring swag bag, guests leave with something they watched being created, specifically for them. My setup, "The Art Nook," is designed to be the center of that action.
How We Work
I offer two primary ways to handle this depending on your event scale:
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High-Volume Retail Events: Ideal for store launches or festivals where speed is key. I work with a pre-set menu of designs—initials, simple florals, or leopard print—using flash sheets. This allows me to finish 25-35 items per day, keeping the line moving so everyone gets a personalized piece.
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Premium Customization: Perfect for luxury brand previews or intimate gatherings. Here, we take more time (30-45 minutes per piece) to create intricate designs, metallic accents, and complex typography on items like passport covers, wallets, and handbags. This option is capped at 8-12 items per day to ensure the level of detail is perfect.
Why Quality Matters
I treat every surface differently. Sneakers, tote bags, and flat leather goods all require different prep work. For luxury leather, I strip the factory finish carefully to ensure the paint bonds properly, then seal it with a finisher that prevents cracking or fading. My workspace is compact, portable, and sets up easily on a standard table provided by your venue. Whether you are in Mumbai or Pune, I bring the supplies, the skill, and the coffee-fueled energy to make your event stand out.
Ridhii Makkar
Hi, I’m Ridhii. I believe art should not just sit on a shelf—it should be carried and worn. Whether I am at a high-end store launch or a festive edit, I love turning your guests' belongings into conversation pieces right in front of them.
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