SAADA Spotlight

"Garam Masala" Tote Bag

$30.00
Tax included.
Color: Black
 Size Guide

Safwat Saleem’s design for “Garam Masala,” was inspired by SAADA’s Patel Brothers archival collection. His design pays homage to the search for spices and the rare moment of finding a small, but important, piece of home away from home through just the right blend.

What's the story?

The Patel Brothers was opened in Chicago in 1974 by brothers Mufat and Tulasi Patel and Tulasi's wife, Aruna, and is among the oldest and largest South Asian grocery stores in the U.S. Mufat, Tulasi, and Aruna Patel opened their first shop on Devon Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, and gradually expanded to other city centers with sizable South Asian populations, including Detroit, New York, Houston, and Atlanta. Safwat's inspiration for his "Garam Masala" design grew from his discovery of SAADA's Patel Brothers archival collection.

Explore the Patel Brothers archival collection.
What's it made of?

• 100% certified organic cotton 3/1 twill
• Fabric weight: 8 oz/yd² (272 g/m²)
• Dimensions: 16″ × 14 ½″ × 5″ (40.6 cm × 35.6 cm × 12.7 cm)
• Weight limit: 30 lbs (13.6 kg)
• 1″ (2.5 cm) wide dual straps, 24.5″ (62.2 cm) length
• Open main compartment

SAFWAT SALEEM X SAADA

Garam Masala

“He can’t find the spices that his mom tells him that he needs... And there’s nothing there, just one spice, and that’s the spice that this protagonist was asking for. And seeing that one scene, I thought that I was going to weep. I was like, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and I knew that I wanted to do something with spice jars.” – Safwat Saleem

Safwat Saleem’s design for “Garam Masala,” was inspired by the search for spices. His artwork draws from stories of connection through food he discovered in SAADA’s Patel Brothers archival collection and a scene he saw in “Limbo,” a film about the refugee experience of a Syrian musician who awaits asylum on a remote Scottish island. 

Safwat’s spice jars pay homage to the rare moment of finding a small, but important, piece of home away from home through just the right blend of spices.⁠

About the Artwork