Our Story
The man behind the vision
Carynx celebrates the rich Celtic heritage of the British Isles, taking inspiration from the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and the majestic stag – an integral part of Celtic mythology.
Our founder and chief designer, Sunil Devalia, was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), surrounded by awe-inspiring nature and swathes of verdant, thriving jungle. As a boy, he was fascinated by the Scottish explorer David Livingstone, who studied Africa’s animals closely and was once attacked by a lion.
After Sunil moved to the UK in his teens, initially to a boarding school in Kent, he found himself drawn to the mythology of the Celts and their deep-rooted respect for the natural world.
All this, together with his passion for design, led him to found Carynx in 2011. The company takes its name from an Iron Age trumpet used by the Celts to call troops to battle and intimidate opponents. This long curved wind instrument had a bell shaped like an open-mouthed animal’s head, and enhanced the Celts’ reputation as formidable warriors.
Our finely crafted champagne coolers feature animal imagery in a contemporary way, and reflect Sunil’s passion for nature and Celtic culture.
The majesty of nature
Throughout history, the Highland stag has been a symbol of nobility, mystery and untamed beauty. Partly due to works of art such as Edwin Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen, this magnificent creature has become a Scottish icon.
The deer is deeply ingrained in Celtic mythology. In dreams, the stag is said to represent male virility, while the female deer alludes to grace, sensitivity and harmony. The rare and elusive white stag has even greater meaning. Its very existence is suffused with myth and legend. Regarded by the Celts as a messenger from the Gods, a sighting of this rare creature was said to herald profound change.
Through the centuries, the white stag has been seen as a bridge between the everyday and the spiritual worlds. According to Arthurian legend, the white stag can never be caught – it is desired but somehow always out of reach.
It later became a symbol of purity, redemption and good fortune. More recently, in The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis, the white stag grants the wishes of those who capture him.
Carynx seeks to express the spirit of the stag.