Since the post-Vedic era, the most ubiquitous choice of fabrics have included silk, cotton, jute, wool, muslin and linen; dyeing of the clothes formed the most extensive fashion. From radical Rajputana rulers and majestic Marathas to mighty Mughals, fashion was ever important. The Indian kings and queens from the past left no stone unturned in getting their might reflected in their attires. They resorted to intricate craftsmanship and finesse in fabrics to reflect their regality. This lead to a boom in the development of local Indian art forms in dressmaking and fabric creation. The current emissaries of Indian fashion are the designers like Rahul Mishra and Manish Arora who have introduced the local thread works and karigari in their International runway shows. Wedding Affair celebrates Indian handlooms on the occasion of National Handloom Day by discussing some of the nitty gritties of Indian crafts and couture.
Sabyasachi’s work
One of the most sought after labels in India and abroad is Sabyasachi Mukherjee. He has been able to promote Indian local arts in fashion in its full bloom. The label’s designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, believes in Indian couture. And he thrives by promoting the indigenous art forms of dressmaking in India.
“The country is changing so rapidly, and there’s such a wealth of craft and design here that has never been used to its potential. 50 years from now, if all these crafts die out because there is no demand and supply for them, the next generation will have nothing to fall back upon and we will only see it at the Victoria and Albert (V&A) museum — which is sad. It is vital for us to connect better with our audience to create demand for karigars so that the handlooms have a sustainable living. And finally, there’s a big copy market, so through them, craftsmen are getting good work which is wonderful!” he said in an interview with an Indian fashion news portal.
Work by Rahul Mishra
Rahul Mishra is another proponent of Indian crafts in the International fashion scenario. Mishra has been a part of several projects that have empowered the local handicrafts and fashion handiworks of India. Named Best Womenswear Designer by the Cotton Council in 2012, some of his most exquisite hand-crafted designs were acquired by The V&A Museum, London for the prestigious Design Exhibition. It was in 2014 when he captured the global realms, and also Indian handloom roots.
He bagged the coveted International Woolmark Prize. With Spring Summer Collection 2015 at Paris Fashion Week (PFW), he has been amalgamating local Indian weaves and fabrics in the Indo-Western outfits for one of the world’s most illustrious fashion shows in the world, that is, PFW. His latest runway at the PFW featured dainty aari work in exquisite couture pieces. The intricacy of the ready-to-wear items was such that some of them required more than 3,400 hours of handwork.
