Srishti Diploma Project with Abraham and Thakore, 2007

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

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A Collection of Saris

Ikat Maheshwari Jamdani Bandhini Shibori

krittika for

abraham and thakore spring summer 2008

krittika for abraham and thakore

CONTENTS

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ABOUT KRITTIKA

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MEET THE DESIGNERS

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THE PROPOSAL

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FROM THE EDITOR

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THE BEAUTY OF WOVEN FABRIC

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PROCESS

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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THE FUTURE OF THE SARI

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AN AFTERWORD

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REFERENCES

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CREDITS cover: Maheshwari detail facing page: Maheshwari detail

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ABOUT KRITTIKA

K

rittika has always been inclined towards the creative side. She began training in Indian classical music at the age of 4. In school, she continued singing and took to fine arts along with a selection of languages and humanities. She joined Srishti to pursue her interest in art and design. After two years of a basic foundation course, she chose textiles.

Her journey within textiles has been extremely holistic.

She began by getting an introduction to all the techniques in textiles. On grasping the basics, she felt that she needed to borrow elements from other disciplines in order to enhance her creativity in the domain of textile design. An exposure to graphic design, reading, writing and art theory made this journey richer.

‘In today’s design world, everybody is moving towards multidiscipline. It is exciting as for the first time; designers are stretching their boundaries and collaborating with other disciplines of design. It expands the boundaries of design,’ she explains.

This process of learning moved her from textiles to graphic textiles. She combined these two media using print as a bridge.

There after an internship followed at Bhuj in Gujarat.

Here she worked with an N.G.O. and leather artisans, designing a range of new products with them. She combined the available skills of block printers, weavers and leather artisans, to make her final pieces. This was the first time when the leather artisans in Bhuj used block printed leather to make their artifacts. ‘It was a collaborative effort. It gave their products a different and more up- market look and feel. One mustn’t forget the importance of the artisan’s opinion. He is, after all, the master of his craft.’

from left to right: 1. White on white embroidery detail 2. Woven fabric 3. Text-ile

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She respects the Indian craft industry and believes that the scope is immense if the intervention is done with the right intention. One has such an advantage living in India as they have direct access to the artisans. As more designers move towards craft, they encourage a community to sustain their traditional knowledge. The outcome of a collaborative effort between a contemporary designer and a traditional artisan results in a fresh, new design perspective.

An interest in textile art led to her interest in weaving.

‘Weaving is such an expressive medium. The base fabric becomes the foundation of ones thoughts,’ she says. She began specializing in it during her final year in Srishti. She worked on the table loom as well as the frame loom. It was an adventure of new textures, chemical and natural dyed yarn, and weaving. The act of translating an idea into a fabric is a very honest and fulfilling process.

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Weaving is such an expressive medium. The base fabric becomes the foundation of ones thoughts.

Weaving led her to do a collection of saris for designers, Abraham and Thakore. She worked with many weaving and tie and dye techniques. Integrating fashion with craft was a spectacular experience.

She hopes to continue exploring her multidisciplinary dreams!

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MEET THE DESIGNERS

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BRAHAM & THAKORE is one of India’s most successful and respected design resources for fashion and accessories as well as textile products for the home. This design label was initially established by David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, graduates of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad who were later joined by Kevin Nigli, a design graduate of NIFT New Delhi.

David Abraham: Creative director of Abraham & Thakore the Singapore born designer is constantly searching for the simplest way to express complex design ideas. He is focused on conceptualizing and reinventing the A&T story each season to keep it contemporary, directional and competitive both in India and internationally, where it is sold in some of the finest stores the world over. His first eponymous collection was launched in Bergdorf Goodman in New York.

Rakesh Thakore: Director of Abraham & Thakore, Rakesh Thakore was born in Delhi and spent his early childhood on his parent’s farm in East Africa. His forte is the design and development of sophisticated hand woven fabrics for scarves, sarees and clothing, some of which have been included in major textile exhibitions in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

left to right: Mr. Abraham, Mr. Nigli, Mr. Thakore Photograph: Keith Hammond

in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris.

Kevin Nigli: An alumnus of St Xavier’s School, Kolkata, and trained in Fashion Design at NIFT, he is director of sales for both the export and domestic markets. Besides the challenge of developing, and sometimes creating, new markets for the brand, he is also responsible for conceptualizing the quirky design of the A&T visual displays that have become a key feature of the retail identity of the brand.

Each ABRAHAM & THAKORE collection continues the exploration of developing a quiet and modern design voice while simultaneously drawing on the rich traditional vocabulary of Indian design and craft. The design sensibility is low key yet highly distinctive, with a strong respect for material, form and craft. In a consumer world of massproduced fast fashion ABRAHAM & THAKORE, reiterates the belief that real luxury lies in specially crafted product in limited numbers of high quality.

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each season is the very modern synergy between fashion and lifestyle with a unifying vision for the way the contemporary urban consumer dresses and lives whether in New Delhi, London or Sydney. Each season both the fashion and home textile collections are presented to international buyers in prestigious trade salons in Paris, namely Tranoi and Scenes D’Interieur at Maison & Objet.

Victoria & Albert Museum in London, in a British Council exhibition on contemporary Indian design; at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, in the Volkart Foundation sponsored exhibition on Khadi that later traveled to Switzerland.

Internationally ABRAHAM & THAKORE collections

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Each ABRAHAM & THAKORE collection continues the exploration of developing a quiet and modern design voice while simultaneously drawing on the rich traditional vocabulary of Indian design and craft.

are sold in exclusive stores in London, Paris, New York, Milan, Kuwait, Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney amongst London, Le Bon Marche in Paris, Tad in Rome and Milan, Club 21 in Singapore, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong are the world.

the third opened in Bangalore on Vittal Mallya Road. In February 2006 the A&T shop in New Delhi was relocated from 1 MG Road to a leafy, tree-lined courtyard in Lodi

right: India Fashion Week- 2007

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THE PROPOSAL To design a Spring- Summer sari collection for designers Abraham and Thakore.

The project will work towards designing and documenting the design process of the saris with respect to aesthetics, trends, tradition and the expectations of the designer label.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

c) The weavers.

1. What is a designer sari? What is the history behind it?

What are its defining characteristics?

2. What does it communicate as a garment?

3. What is the outcome of applying traditional methods to making a designer sari? Do they contribute and enhance one another or does one overpower the other?

4. Who is the audience? When and where do they wear the designer saris? What statement are they trying to make?

5. How does a studio space differ from an on the field job?

6. What is the process of making a designer sari? What are the components that contribute to it? Is it just about following a colour forecast, modifying the motifs? How does the process of creating a designer sari differ from that of a traditional sari?

7. Is a designer sari art? Or is it simply a fusion of various disciplines of design?

TECHNIQUES

APPROACH/PROCESS 1. Research on traditional Indian textiles- books, magazines, internet, Mr. Thakore.

2. Ideating by sketching and making rough prototypes (grids, mock- ups- working with some of the tools learnt in the IDEO workshop) of material around me- mainly with the help of samples from various collections and reject pieces.

3. Using “Saris of India� as my traditional base.

4. Keeping a log of discussions and feedback.

5. Visiting one or two of the weaving centers when the designs go into production.

As my diploma is based on weaving, I will be focusing on four techniques of weaving in India.

1. Ikat- Andhra Pradesh 2. Jamdani- Bengal 3. Maheshwari- Madhya Pradesh 4. Bandhini- Bhuj 5. Shibori- Bhuj I will try introducing something new in terms of weaves, patterns and the use of yarn while designing the saris. The colours have been forecasted according to the current trends.

LEARNING OUTCOMES 1. Understanding how fashion meets tradition.

2. Experiencing and learning about what a designer sari is- from conceptualization to production; its aesthetics, its audience, the business aspect, etc.

3. The role of a textile designer in a fashion studio.

4. To understand the practical side of design- budgets, costing and resources.

5. Questioning the context of the sari in a broader sense- its emergence into the fashion world, the relationship between the craft sector and the fashion industry.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES Studio: a) The ideation is done on paper and the computer. b) Rough prototyping is carried out by using various materials in the studio. Once the designs are approved, they are drawn to scale, motifs are made on grids and layouts are sent to the weavers. c) The designers.

In the field: a) Since the collection is a Spring- Summer one, the focus is on cottons, cotton- silks and pure silks. There will also be a lot of work done with different grades and variations of cottons, silks and zaris (various counts) and georgettes. b) Documentation material: Camera, Log book, laptop.

facing page: Ikat sari on warp

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FROM THE EDITOR The sari at Abraham & Thakore is neither traditional nor contemporary. It is a ‘cleaner’ and ‘fresher’ traditional sari. Their users are aware of the specialty of the handloom in India and find that Abraham & Thakore gives them the exclusive sari. It contains a quality within it that makes their user ‘feel special’.

Krittika Sharma

The Sari- A Universal Stencil The sari is one of the oldest garments in India. It dates back to the Mahabharata where Draupadi was shielded by this ‘never- ending’ fabric while mistreated by Duryodhana. It has been the holy cloth for several gods and goddesses and weavers in certain parts of the country specialize in making this sacred temple cloth.

The sari has traveled through many ages but has miraculously retained its basic structure. All saris have a main body, borders and palla. The length ranges from 2 m (known as the half- sari which is popular in the south of India) to 9 m (the Maharashtrian sari). The beauty is that it is a universal cloth as it doesn’t have a specific user or body type. One simply personalizes it in the way that they drape this unstitched fabric.

Over time, it has become a huge attraction in the fashion industry. While some have attempted to rework the structure, others have used unconventional material to enhance its beauty. At Abraham & Thakore they look at the sari as an extension of their collection in India. They think that the sari is a very well structured garment and the challenge is to work within that framework and come out with something spectacular.

The sari at Abraham & Thakore is neither traditional nor contemporary. It is a ‘cleaner’ and ‘fresher’ traditional sari.

Their users are aware of the specialty of the handloom in India and find that Abraham & Thakore gives them the exclusive sari. It contains a quality within it that makes their user ‘feel special’.

Here, the communication between a traditional weaver and the designer is crucial. While the weaver needs to understand the design given to him, the designer must ensure that he draws and designs the sari with respect to the understanding and potential of the weaver.

The sari is a static stencil but fashion determines its look, feel and message every season. The blend of the traditional and the contemporary is rather beautiful and it leaves me with a sense of awe to experience how something so auspicious becomes an important element of India’s fashion industry.

It is one of the simplest structures of fabric and through tradition and fashion; one has been able to see it tell a story of its ever evolving and unraveling character.

When one loves textures and colours, it is a real pleasure to work with a garment like the sari. It opens a wide canvas and the beauty of working within its perfect structure and proportion has been one my most important lessons in design.

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Good design marries both form and function in a pleasing and useful way. Both minimal and maximal are celebrated in moderation.

David Abraham

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

JAMDANI Spring Summer 2008

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THE BEAUTY OF WOVEN FABRIC An Introduction to the Saris in the Spring- Summer Collection 2008

For thousand of years, India has prided herself with her exquisite woven garment, the sari. This woven, non stitched, universal garment is special for various social, religious, aesthetical and marketing reasons and continues to be one of India’s charms.

1.Ikat 2.Maheshwari 3.Jamdani 4.Bandhini 5.Shibori

1. Ikat is one of the most complex weaving techniques that exist in India. It commands a very special status. In earlier times, it was admired by many kings and was treasured in some of finest museums in the world.

The term ‘ikat’ comes from a Malay- Indonesian expression ‘mangikat’ which means to bind, knot or wind around. Ikat or resist- dyeing involves the sequence of tying or wrapping; dyeing sections which form the pattern; and then being woven into fabric. There are three kinds of ikat- warp dyed (a single ikat technique where the weft is not dyed); weftdyed (a single ikat technique where the warp is not dyed); and warp and weft dyed (a double ikat technique where both warp and weft sections are dyed and matched to the pattern that has to be woven).

Ikat is woven in three areas in India- Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The Patola of Gujarat- It is a double ikat technique which consists of geometrical, floral and figurative motifs. It is the most complex ikat technique in India and was bartered in exchange for exotic spices by the Dutch, Portuguese and French traders in the 17th century. It is mainly used in marriages, the adornment of deities and as a covering for the dead prior to the cremation.

Mashru Ikat- It has been predicted that this technique developed after the Muslim conquest in India. It consists of a silk warp and cotton weft. Mashru, due to the use of satin weave, looks different on both sides. While one side has a shine like silk, the other has a cotton- like texture. According to the Prophet, the Muslims are not allowed to wear silk directly on the skin and so they decided to wear mashru.

The Bandhas of Orissa- It has soft, curvilinear motifs that consist of animal and floral forms which are depicted in a hazy, flame- like effect. A specialty is that they use extra weft threads, which mainly have geometric motifs along with the ikat technique making it unique and recognizable as an ikat from Orissa.

The Ikat of Andhra Pradesh- There is no written evidence regarding the origins of ikat in Andhra Pradesh, but it generally came up in the early late 1800s. It is similar to the bandha except for the extra weft threads. Most of forms are either geometrical or floral and are rather clear depictions.

They are woven in silk, cotton and tussars.

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IKAT

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MAHESHWARI 2. Maheshwaris have a gossamer quality to them.

They are delicate and extremely light saris. They originally emerged in earthy shades of maroon, red, green, purple and black. But over the years, the began to be woven in light hues of blues, mauves, lilacs and other pastels with unique silver and gold thread work in it.

The story goes that the sari was born when Ahalya Bai Holkar wanted nine yard saris to gift to her royal relatives and friends. So she beckoned the weavers from Surat and Malwa to do it. She did not have any specifications in terms of the motifs, so the weavers took inspiration from the Maheshwar Fort. The detailing on the walls of the fort were converted onto the sari as soft, delicate details.

To date, these motifs exist. Iinth (brick pattern), Hira (diamond pattern) and Chameli ki Phool (the chameli flower) are some of the patterns that are used in the saris.

A traditional maheshwari sari has a silk warp and a cotton weft. In recent times, they have started to use wool and different grades of cotton in the saris.

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...the weavers took inspiration from the Maheshwar Fort. The detailing on the walls of the fort were converted onto the sari as soft, delicate details.

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...ethereal through the use of soft, muted colours and zari. Its magnificent designs are said to be Persian in origin.

It is almost made like a tapestry.

3. Jamdani involves an inlay technique consisting

of geometrical or floral designs that look very light and ethereal through the use of soft, muted colours and zari.

Its magnificent designs are said to be Persian in origin. It is almost made like a tapestry. Jamdani means ‘wine cup’ in Bengali and Urdu.

It originated somewhere around the 4th century. They were referred to as figured muslins are they were originally produced on muslin fabric. The Mughal emperors realized its value as a technique and gave royal patronage to this craft.

Traditionally elaborate patterns were worked in a colour on a colour background by placing the pattern to be woven under the warp thread and using that as a guide to weave with extra weft threads. These extra weft threads, which created the patterns, were of the same fineness as those used in the fabric.

They were merged into the body of the fabric, and the design could be noticed only when it was held against the light.

The jamdani technique is executed in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

JAMDANI

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4. Bandhini is a non-woven; dyeing technique and

is practiced in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The term bandhini comes from the Hindi word ‘bandhan’ which means to tie.

It involves the tying of certain areas and not exposing it to the dye. Bandhini was originally made on silk and cotton but today it is made on almost any fabric. This is also due to the variety of dyes available. The traditional colours were yellow, red, black and green. The standard patterns are mainly geometrical or floral in nature.

The Muslim Khatri communities in Kutch exclusively carry out the techniques of bandhini. An authentic bandhini piece will have a section open for the buyer to see the pattern and the rest will remain tied.

BANDHINI SHIBORI 5. Shibori is a dyeing technique similar to bandhini. It

is a Japanese term for several ways of dyeing cloth with a planned pattern by compressing, binding, stitching or folding the cloth. It dates back to the 8th century and dates back to the goods that Emperor Shomu donated to the Toda- ji in Nara.

It has become a popular technique in India and is mainly executed by the Muslim Khatri communities that have knowledge about bandhini.

With the emergence of fashion designers in India, the sari has moved into a space where its language has been changed.

While some designers chose to enhance their product by keeping with some of the traditional rules; others have made new versions of it. It is a significant garment in Indian clothing and continues to be a fascination for many Indian designers.

EMBASSY CLASSIC BUILDING VITTAL MALYA ROAD BANGALORE- 560 001

THE COURTYARD MINOO DESAI MARG COLABA MUMBAI- 400 005

31, THE NEW COURTYARD LODI COLONY MAIN MARKET NEW DELHI- 110 003

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

IKAT Spring Summer 2008

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PROCESS

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1

An introduction to Abraham and Thakore through their archival material and write ups. These included snippets of them from newspapers, magazines, interviews and shows.

below: Abraham & Thakore studio

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2

Getting acquainted with their studio space- their work, the people and their way of working. Their woven collections from the past, their inspirations, materials and woven techniques used and an introduction to the user profile were extremely crucial. Before the designing began, Mr. Thakore discussed the users, the colour palette and colour associations in great detail. This discussion emerged many times during the course of the three months.

Age group of User: 35- 65

Aware of handloom

SARI THE USER

Expectations of the Abraham and Thakore label Designed and executed as a collection Traditional + contemporary

Caters only to the Indian market

How does she feel when she wears a sari?

Does touch matter?

How does she walk in it?

In what way does it compliment her?

What is her income bracket?

AUDIENCE WOMEN

What accessories does she need/ use?

What ocassion makes her wear a sari?

Does she need to drive, or catch a bus in a sari?

BANGALORE ABRAHAM AND THAKORE

DELHI

MUMBAI SPRING SUMMER 2008

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The initial sketches were extremely na誰ve and mainly made without specifications. They were ideas that were made without the structure of the sari in some way- generating ideas for motifs, playing with scales and shapes were the main incentive here. Research and inspiration came alongside the ideation.

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ITERATIONS

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THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

IKAT Spring Summer 2008

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Slowly, as the motifs were chosen, the dirty prototyping began.

Here, the ideas were placed as the real scale designs and patterns on saris in order to understand how to balance the sari. Also, it served as a great communication tool. ‘Prototyping lets you fail early to succeed sooner’- an IDEO ideology that helped tremendously. It carried a lot of energy and gave quick logical results. It also helped in modifying designs and working towards the feasible ones at a quick pace.

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Some of the designs had to made to the scale of the sari. These were mainly the Bandhini and Jamdani layouts. Here, making the designs enabled visualizing the sari better and making the appropriate changes on the actual scale. It was similar to the dirtyprototyping but served the purpose of a ‘final’ piece.

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More revisiting and refining. While new concepts were generated, the old ones were revisited many times. This process enabled to let certain ideas stew, and see them progress. Also while revisiting them with a fresh mind, concepts flowed easily.

Research, discussions and the designing of other saris fed into the old ideas and helped with modifying concepts. At this stage, the saris were categorized with regard to the idea and the outcome.

facing page: Three ages of women- Klimt; used as inspiration for Bandhini iterations

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INSPIRATION

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left top: Initial iteration for an Ikat sari left middle: Detailing left bottom: A complete black and white layout for an ikat sari facing page: Final design of ikat sari in colour

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EVOLUTION

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ONE COLLECTION

left: Printed detail above: Woven detail facing above right: Embroidered detail facing right: Bandhini detail

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39”x 6”

SCALE

39”x 8”

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39”x 37”

left and above: Jamdani layouts

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A visit to one of the Ikat weaving centers in Andhra was a highlight. The aim was to understand ikat as a technique and execute designs on a sample warp. The weavers are highly skilled and weave both traditional and contemporary items. The weaving centre is in Puttapakka (2.25 hours away from Hyderabad). The sample that was executed consisted of 19- 20 variations keeping in mind that saris and stoles were the ultimate target.

above and right: Ikat warps

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BANGALORE ABRAHAM AND THAKORE

DELHI

MUMBAI AUTUMN WINTER 2007

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

IKAT Spring Summer 2008

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Once everything was chosen, the final saris were drawn according to the A&T format to give details (colours, measurements, etc) about the saris. They were sent out to the various weaving centers along with the shade cards.

On receiving the designs, the interaction with the weavers became a priority. Also, at this time, some designs were modified and restructured again according to technical difficulties and design formats.

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ABRAHAM AND THAKORE DESIGN SARI- SILK GEORGETTE TECHNIQUE- BANDHINI SECTION ON PLATE- COMPLETE PALLA MOVING INTO BODY

Bandhini Plate 01.a Ground in Body- Berry Palla- Black Dots- Ivory Border- 2”

Bandhini Plate 01.b Ground in Body- Black Palla- Berry Dots- Ivory Border- 2”

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ABRAHAM AND THAKORE DESIGN SARI- SILK x SILK TECHNIQUE- IKAT SECTION ON PLATE- COMPLETE PALLA MOVING INTO BODY

Ikat Plate 02.a Ground- Mauve Motif in Body- Plum Palla- Steel Border- 2” + 2 dent zari

Ikat Plate 02.b Ground- Black Motif in Body- Steel Palla- Ivory Border- 2” + 2 dent zari

Ikat Plate 02.c Ground- Black Motif in Body- Birch Palla- Walnut Border- 2” + 2 dent zari

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THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

MAHESHWARI Spring Summer 2008

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What is a designer sari? What is the history behind it?

What are its defining characteristics?

A designer sari can be defined as a garment that shares the base of a traditional sari (the measurements, balance and methods of production) but is not restricted by the colours, motifs and message. It chooses its audience and is made for a statement more than for a use.

What does it communicate as a garment?

It communicates a sense of style and reflects on the philosophy of the designer. It is the traditional Indian garment, but over the years, has moved into a space that questions it values, that change the way in which it is adorned and more importantly, the statement it can make. It lies in the design. As a garment that caters to the Indian society, it is an everyday garment. It is culture specific. But as a designer sari, the user is extremely important here- it is the way that it is worn that communicates its essence.

What is the outcome of applying traditional methods to making a designer sari? Do they contribute and enhance one another or does one overpower the other?

When there is a blend between the tradition and designer, it finds a balance that puts it on a neutral ground. In order to make it in a traditional space, the designers must be able to communicate their ideas to the weavers. Once that negotiation and understanding is created, it automatically becomes a line of communication. Their audiences are different and so they never really come in each other’s way!

Designers fear their peers and the weavers fear the power loom!

right: Ikat warp detail

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Who is the audience? When and where do they wear the designer saris? What statement are they trying to make?

Here, at Abraham and Thakore, the users are women ranging from the age group of 35- 65. Most of them wear traditional clothes all the time and are aware of the handloom and the specialty of the hand woven fabric. They are also looking for a clean look with a traditional sensibility in the sari.

The designers do not dictate how and where the garment must be worn. The statements are made by the users- in the way they drape it, where they wear it, their accessories etc.

How does a studio space differ from an on the field job?

The studio space requires one to have many hands involved in the making of the sari. An on the field job keeps one in direst contact with everyone- from the knot makers to the dyers. At times, it feels disconnected as one cannot physically be in the weavers’ centers at all times. The designs cannot be supervised and this can sometimes be a huge drawback. Most of the time, each design of a sari is sent for production rather than for sampling as it is not cost effective. Also, a loom is an unnecessary investment until and unless sufficient and constant sampling can be done.

However samples of the western wear and the home collections are all made in the factory before making the required numbers.

What is the process of making a designer sari? What are the components that contribute to it? Is it about following a colour forecast, modifying the motifs etc.?

Conceptualization -> sending designs to the weaving centers -> costing -> production -> packaging -> finishing -> selling.

The saris are exclusively made for the Indian market and so they are like an extension of the entire western and home collection. It follows the colours, motifs and mood of the collection.

Is a designer sari, art? Or is it simply a fusion of various disciplines of design?

A designer sari, like the traditional sari is artistic and aesthetically pleasing in its own way. It is the coming together of many disciplines of design and the coming together of many culture specific sensibilities.

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

MAHESHWARI Spring Summer 2008

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THE FUTURE OF THE SARI

In order to sustain the Indian textile tradition, we need to bridge the traditional and contemporary gap; to use the designer as a mediator – one who understands both, the language of tradition and contemporary thought.

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ndian craft is wrapped in various romantic time zones and has one of the richest and finest textile traditions of the world. The sensitivity of the weaver and the magic of his loom together create a spiritual and meaningful relationship, resulting in extremely valuable hand woven fabrics.

The sari is a universal fabric. It belongs to everyone. But, where does it stand in the new craft era? And, where is it headed?

A lot of our traditional knowledge lies in museums, is documented in books or, available on the web. Fortunately, as Indians, we have access to talented artisans and we can speak the same language in terms of a design sensibility.

Contemporary Indian textile industry consists of the hand loom and the power-loom. The power looms have the ability to be more efficient – making production faster and lowering costs – when compared to the tedious processes of the handloom. Renewal programmes such as the establishment of a network of the weavers service centres have uplifted the artisans. People like Pulpul Jayakar and Martand Singh have acted as catalysts for reviving traditional Indian craft. Many sari designers have drawn inspiration from the traditional craft and have fused it with their contemporary notions, thereby retaining and providing continuity for traditional knowledge and practice of the artisans.

The future need not witness a battle between traditional looms and power- looms. It has to be a fusion between the human spirit and technology. The weavers in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu are already moving towards such a fusion. They play with their complicated designs on the computer but weave them on the traditional handloom.

In the book, Art and Industry, Herbert Read also speaks of the importance of the hand with relation to the craft. The output of Indian artisans is an expression of the human spirit and this has been understood by many Indian designers. The weavers have the ability to contribute to design. Their inputs are invaluable as they know the possibilities and limitations of their craft. In his book, The Handcrafted Textiles of India, Martand Singh has clearly proved that our artisans have the power to expand their vision. He facilitated an exhibition of

above: Ikat sari with a temple design detail

above: Ikat sari with a temple design

their work and encouraged them to use traditional motifs in a truly contemporary fashion.

In order to sustain the Indian textile tradition, we need to bridge the traditional and contemporary gap; to use the designer as a mediator – one who understands both, the language of tradition and contemporary thought. However, this must ensure that the elements of design evolve rather than merely replicate the past.

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The sari is a universal fabric. It belongs to everyone. But, where does it stand in the new craft era? And, where is it headed?

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

BANDHINI Spring Summer 2008

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krittika for abraham and thakore

AN AFTERWORD

I have come to realize that it is more of an introduction rather than a conclusion.

It has helped me understand the notion of textile design in a real world interface.

When one is a student, a diploma or their final project is crucial to mark they territory as the new art and design professional in an already existing professional world. One implements their learning from various sources and a power surge of grueling hours and deadlines culminates an idea into a product; something that appeals to the senses, something that makes a niche for itself and finds a space in the shelf named design.

Working in the fashion industry was a new phase for me. I grew open to the idea of it being an option for myself when I chose to concentrate on weaving. I wanted to try something new (I had already done an internship with an N.G.O and learnt the software required to design on power looms.). My thoughts led to the fashion industry and I was extremely fortunate to get accepted by Abraham and Thakore. I have always admired their collections and found it fascinating how they have believed in the sophistication and wearability of their clothes. Their saris have a unique blend of tradition and contemporary elements in it. One can comprehend that they have a strong base in the technicalities involved from the language of their rich, elegant garments.

I have always spoken from a romantic stance regarding the craft sector in India and while I felt I should follow it up, it did not seem as exciting as exploring a fresh space in textile design.

The fashion industry was a real eye- opener. The studio set up differs greatly from an N.G.O setup- fixed hours; a compartmentalized fusion of specializations and a production pace that is swift and works on challenging deadlines.

“ above and top right: Iterations for a Jamdani sari

a power surge of grueling hours and deadlines culminates an idea into a product; something that appeals to the senses, something that makes a niche for itself and finds a space in the shelf named design.

spring summer 2008

My absolute golden rule during the time I spent in the studio was to keep distance from my work as I have been criticized of being attached to my work or the atmosphere that it creates for me. I successfully managed to detach myself from my project at a certain level and see it as platform for a deeper learning.

My romantic notion of craft has become balanced since I have worked at Abraham and Thakore. I enjoyed the way that I interacted with the artisans here as well. More importantly, all these artisans work on the handloom and weave designer wear as well as their own traditional pieces.

Mr. Thakore is extremely knowledgeable about the woven tradition of India and I felt I learnt a lot through his simple observations, comments and examples of the elements of a sari. Those, I felt were the finer details that added a lot of value to my work and enabled me to look at my designs with the right sensibility.

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It has broadened my notions of the fashion industry. It was an unknown territory and I felt that it was an unexplored portion in my academics. Weaving was my only link to Abraham and Thakore. Over the past three months, it expanded into getting a basic idea of the industry, its way of functioning, its departments, its need and what impact it has on its users. One understands the interaction between the various professional people within a network of businesses.

While it has strictly been a ‘textile’ based project, I have been able to use my various interests in this project- in craft, weaving, writing, graphic design and photography in certain proportions.

But after this experience, I have come to realize that it is more of an introduction rather than a conclusion. It has helped me understand the notion of textile design in a real world interface. It also helped me understand what my strengths and weaknesses are in relation to the work; and more importantly, what I might need to study further if I want to pursue a career in the fashion industry.

above: Shibori detail

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krittika for abraham and thakore

REFERENCES 1.

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Mr. Rakesh Thakore Mrs. Kumkum Bhalla Mr. David Abraham Mr. Kevin Nigli Dr. Aarti Kawlra Mrs. Meera Curam Mrs. Tara Kini Mrs. Dharma Kannan Mrs. Swati Unakar Mr. Lloyd Roberts Mr. Rakesh Sharma Ms. Kinnari Thakker Saris of India- Madhya Pradesh; Bihar and West Bengal: Rta Kapur Chisti & Amba Sanyal Art Nouveau- Patterns and Designs: R.Beaucla Ornament: Stuart Durant International Textile Design: Mary Schoeser Handcrafted Textiles of India: Martand Singh World Textiles: John Gillow & Byran Sentence Hansel und Gretel- Yuriko Takagi: Jurgen Lehl Winter 2006 Textile View Magazine Modern Carpets and Textiles Vogue Elle Google

spring summer 2008

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CREDITS A project like this can never be achieved by one person alone!

To Srishti for the incredibly eventful four and half years!

To Mum, Dad and Kapil, for their faith.

To Mr. Prasad Bidappa, for kick starting my project.

To Mr. Rakesh Thakore for being a perfect guide.

To everyone at Abraham & Thakore for being so helpful and accommodating.

To my family in Delhi for making the entire project possible.

To my family in Hyderabad who helped me with the field trips.

To Kinnari, for her moral support, valuable feedback and enthusiasm.

To my photographer Bikram and models Nikki, Mum and Aarti.

To my friends, who stood by me through it all.

THE GREAT INDIAN WRAP

MAHESHWARI Spring Summer 2008