Desi Design and Chai

Desi Design and Chai

Desi Design and Chai | Art & Lifestyle Brand | Toronto

About Desi Design and Chai

Desi Design and Chai is a bold, unapologetic art and lifestyle brand founded in 2018 by Tanya Walia Monteiro, a Toronto-based artist and creator whose work is rooted in cultural pride, mental health advocacy, and radical self-acceptance. What began as a creative outlet during wedding planning evolved into a full brand and brick-and-mortar store — The Flamingo, located in Leslieville, Toronto. Furthermore, DDC exists to show BIPOC and Queer youth that their culture and identity are not things to suppress — they are things to celebrate loudly and without apology.

Our Experience

Desi Design and Chai is the work of Tanya Walia Monteiro, a multi-disciplinary artist who sews, draws, paints, constructs, and molds — working across mediums to create pieces that spark genuine feeling in the people who find them. The brand has grown from a personal creative practice into a community-rooted movement, with a physical store, an active online shop, and a growing collection of collaborators and makers. Additionally, the blockprint line is produced in direct partnership with artisans in India, ensuring every piece is eco-friendly, fair trade, and zero waste.

Core Offerings

• Handmade blockprint line — cushion covers, tote bags, coin purses, pouches, notebooks, and sleep masks
• Apparel — graphic tees, crewnecks, and hoodies with bold, expressive messaging
• Crystal jewelry — bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings
• Stationery — notepads, sticky notes, journals, and bookmarks
• Stickers and enamel pins
• Art prints
• Silicone molds for resin and craft work
• Home goods and accessories
• Greeting cards

Desi Design and Chai Blockprint Line

The blockprint collection is handmade by artisans in India using traditional techniques and fabric waste — making every piece truly one of a kind. Products include quilted cushion covers, tote bags, coin purses, pouches, notebooks, and cotton sleep masks, all produced with an eco-friendly, fair trade, and zero waste commitment. Moreover, because each item is made by hand, slight variations in shape, colour, and pattern are a natural part of what makes every piece unique.

Mental Health & Wellness Stationery

A core thread running through DDC is mental health representation. The stationery line includes notepads, sticky notes, wellness journals, and daily reflection tools designed with honesty, humour, and self-awareness. Consequently, these are not generic products — they are pieces made for people who are navigating anxiety, burnout, and the beautiful mess of being human.

Apparel & Art Prints

DDC’s apparel and print collections are loud, expressive, and unapologetically themselves. Graphic tees, crewnecks, and hoodies carry messages about identity, queerness, body positivity, and mental health — designed for people who are done shrinking to fit someone else’s expectations. In addition, original art prints bring the same energy to walls and spaces.

What Makes Desi Design and Chai Special

Desi Design and Chai is not just a shop — it is a statement. Every product is an extension of a deeply personal philosophy: that your culture, your identity, and your voice are your greatest strengths. The brand actively centers BIPOC and Queer experiences, creates space for people who have felt unseen, and builds community through art and shared values. Meanwhile, the combination of handmade craftsmanship, cultural storytelling, and radical self-expression makes DDC genuinely unlike anything else on the market.

Contact Desi Design and Chai

Store: The Flamingo, 991 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4M 1K2
Email: desidesignandchai@gmail.com
Website: theflamingoto.com
Instagram: @desidesignandchai
Facebook: desidesignandchai

Your culture is not a constraint — it is your superpower. Desi Design and Chai exists to remind you of that, one loud and beautiful piece at a time.