Lay Li, Teri Li, Meri Li and Kyon Li are sisters who live in the forest, have flowing black “Sunsilk” hair and are not afraid to get into a fight. A mix of Manga and desi toons, these girls feature on the label of stylish matchboxes that come in a 10-pack set, all for Rs 50.

Designer Nikki Duggal, the creator of these matchboxes, says she thought about the Li sisters about a year back. “But I was so caught up with work for my clients’ brands that I did not have time to develop the idea,” says Duggal. Delhi-based Duggal is kept busy with two brands: Nikki Duggal Design, which services names like Manish Arora, IBM, Nokia and Jindal Steel; and Mixed Juice. The latter is a labour of love and produces a line of wrapping paper, cards, diaries and, of course, matchboxes.

“The Li girls have evolved since I came up with the idea. First they were more basic and affordable. But it was time to ramp things up,” says Duggal of the girls who are now set against a themed backdrop: these range from rays of the Japanese flag and Mount Fuji to two fighting cocks from China and the Mandarins of yore.

“I created the Li sisters as an ethnic mix of Southeast Asia. They are also a metaphor for life where sometimes you’re riding the wave and at other times you’re washed ashore,” says the postgraduate from the University of Arts, London. The economics of working in India gave Duggal the space to expand and after a stint of designing in London, she moved back.

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