MARAL, Issue : Living breathe

MARAL Lively breathe

Sustainability is the DNA

Featuring S o h a m Dave’s Exclusive Collection Advertised Eka The Summer House Buna Itr by Khyati Pande

Rs 100/-

Lively Breathe May, 2020

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From The Editor’s Desk “There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.” — Mahatma Gandhi

I

n delight to introduce the first periodical on fashion feature weekly based. This is my first edition. One of the journals based on the fashion magazine initially published as “Avest’n”. I am a student studying masters in fashion styling and communication from UnitedWorld Institute of Design, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

It is a college project to understand our primary footsteps towards building a fashion journal on individual basis.

The theme based on the sustainability in fashion. It aims at the readers to explore beyond sustainability at garments and many more. Like the starting point is the city where we live and breathe in. many more itself there to explore. Ahmedabad’s aesthetics is one of the vitals. The aesthetics and simplicity of the city is made with the heritage bearing the concrete and unfinished raw beauty. My fashion journal also aims at exploring the readers to the simplicity from every single aspect.

We are majorly featuring the sustainable designer Soham Dave known for his biggest contribution in the fashion world towards preserving indian crafts and artisans. Fashion is not only a term to be celebrated but to be felt if we are able enough to dig the roots through.

Maral - the fashion journal aiming to show each and every point where a sustainable fashion view is at. Fashion includes apparels and accessories both. The simplicity in terms of products is not only what a word sustainable means by. It is the whole backstory behind the production to keep it sustainable. It is not only a material to be worn or used but an emotion to be a part of our life.

We have to cultivate contentment with what we have. We really don’t need much.

When you know this, the mind settles down. Cultivate generosity. Delight in giving.

Learn to live lightly. In this way, we can begin to transform what is negative into what is positive. This is how we start to grow up. – Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo.

We are eagerly waiting for the readers to deeply dive into the lively breathe issue and explore a new direction to what life can be!

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Editor Nandita Shah Contributor Soham Dave Image Credits Soham Dave

Layout Research Chandrama Mallick Image Research Chandrama Mallick Text Research Chandrama Mallick Photo Retouching Chandrama Mallick Fonts Reaserch Chandrama Mallick Advertising Brands Eka The Summer House Buna Itr by Khyati Pande

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CREDITS

Compilaton Chandrama Mallick

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CONT TENTS

Featuring Soham Dave 9 - 30

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A sustainable revolution started by renowned well known designer Rina Singh. it is a brand celebrating the pastoral colours, vreeze and warmth of a lifelong friend. This spirit takes shape in soulful clothing that lives on through individual expression. At Eka, they make their own textiles, favouring the mechanics and raw beauty of natural fibers. Eka in Sanskrit, means ‘one’ and echoes the singular effort of many individuals. The designers tells us her story and deconstructs her new collection.

INDIA Le Mill - Mumbai Ogaan Santushti & Hauskhas - New Delhi Amethyst - Chennai Ensemble - New Delhi & Mumbai Bunglow eight for baby eka - Mumbai Melange - Mumbai

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SOHAM DAVE ‘Sustainability is not a word buzz of the modern days, but the DNA of this brand since it was started’ - Soham dave.

Image Credits : Soham Dave

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The electrical engineer who was initially undergoing a different career for his family’s choice. He finally explored his inner him. Starting his creative career from a year long garment production course from NIFT Gandhinagar, continued to pursue masters of fashion management from FIT New York. After that his passion drew him further.

Initially started with a brand based in New York, he finally realised his heart drew him to the rich cultural land of heritage - his own motherland India. This is the place where he grew up and had a closer pace with the talented artisans of the country to explore further with his brand - Soham Dave. Starting pathway from electrical engineering, his creative-instincts inspired him to start with the concept of devoiding the consumption of electrical technology in his works with the use of indian textiles his brand has celebrated ever since it was started.

Let’s enrich our knowledge further by this great opportunity to have a conversation with him.

The interview session was quite interesting and started on a good note. It was an opening part where our faculty introduced us to him personally. We were very delighted to be introduced to him. We were students of Masters of fashion styling and communication, had a great experience with the well popular designer Soham Dave.

We also at the end showed him a glimpse of the fashion magazine we are upto in production, based on sustainability theme itself. He was also praised and encouraged to work further like this.

Without wasting any further time lets now jump into the main interactive session to leave us quite informative as the result.

Your journey to be a designer after a b.tech electrical engineering degree, was not that a struggle? If you would like to share the decades of your experiences.

He started with yeah of course it is. ‘Struggle is part of the success’. Even he is struggling now as well. Initially he had no clue what to do first, but slowly he realised his main passion. It needed quite a few years to figure out what he is upto. It is like forgetting your families and friends and focusing on one point of your life. Even when he joined nift for a year long course he was quite confused whether he was on the right track or not, it was even frustrating as well. Our faculty added to this, nothing goes in waste, even his designs have quite an affinity to geometry. He further continued that engineering helped him a bigger way to understand from a rational point of view. Nothing really goes to being useless if you are doing it with 100% dedication and stick to what one believes, maybe with instincts and inspiration, karma can finally decide what they will be upto.

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THE SUMMER HOUSE (a unit of summerrays lifestyle pvt. ltd.)

4025/26, 6th cross, 7th block west, jayanagar, bangalore, karnataka, india, 560070

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What sustainability actually mean to you, whether before or post lockdown in India?

He said sustainability does not only mean minimalistic usage of clothes or use of hand-spun fabrics or hand woven stuffs for clothings. It is a modern day buzz word nowadays in the current world. Actually it is more than that. It is a lifestyle which needs to be adopted. He also added that the rich heritage and culture of our country-land India is so much already filled with endless value. So it is the easiest and most available resource for inspiration of sustainability itself which our country portrays. It doesn’t mean that we have to only utilize raw products, clothings made that will last longer, not other brands. It is not because of the materials made of or the word buzz ‘sustainable’, but the quality and duration. It is more of the habits.

Then added by our faculty as well to this point that, it is very much true. It is not like she doesn’t buy h&m brand garments, for instance t-shirts and many more. It lasts longer, even more than ten years, and also can be worn on a daily basis. She added it’s not like buying brands or sustainable, it’s based on how we are using it. She said though she personally hasn’t tried yet his label’s wears but simply more because the handcrafted clothings last longer due to the care and love it is handled with. It is more because of the emotions of the country and its craftsmanship are included.

He added, even in the market in the name of handcrafted or hand loomed, many products are sold which are not even sustainable. So it is very important to check whether it is authentic or not. It is mostly based on the emotions attached to the artisans hand worked materials more than feeling the real concept which should be also very important. Even popular brands are also selling garments in the name of khadi. It is not only the name, it should be the complete process that leads behind it.

Our faculty added that in Soham Dave’s studio it is not only a production house but a whole backstage story which is showing exactly what they are actually producing. Like in each and every department they gave the same amount of attention, thus the minute details the garments are ultimately produced at the end till branding. Thus the whole production story is as important as the clothing itself.

He then continued that he dont care what sustainability means to others. He shared he remembered that while he was studying masters from FIT New York, some workshop based on talk regarding sustainability was told by one of the experts, even they own are using 5% sustainable lines, still promoting on a huge scale being sustainable. “To me I don’t care what others mean, what my own process is and the product itself communicates”. So it depends on the understanding.

Are there any changes in the logo/image of the brand?

He said there are no such significant changes in the logo image, but there had been few changes, years back, that also in fonts. So no such major changes in the brand logo heading to.

Is not sustainable fashion more challenging than fast fashion brands - what’s your view on that as you’re on that pathway to keep up with the morals of the brand?

It is not like that. First of all, we need to understand the difference between what is fast fashion and slow fashion. Because it is not actually a brand to compete with fast fashion brands. The aim is to stick to the core process which should not change anyways. The ethics is to provide quality with artisan’s own hands and to focus on the craftsmanship of the country. It is not hav-

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ing any intentions to compete with the growing fast fashion market.

It doesn’t work like that, but with a unique prospect.

Considering most sustainable designers, every other natural resource is managed well for sustainability, but not water.

Don’t you think water is what should be conserved considering the fact that it is the most scarce resource available?

Well yes, of course. It mostly depends on how you’re utilizing it. It is mostly based on how the natural resources should be managed. It should be how the dyeing and printing technique is being utilized to minimize the consumption, this way it can be preserved. It is again where he started from the process it is not like wasting anything. It is more about sensible usage and production.

The brand focuses on old traditional methods and primitive technique in order to carry out all the processes, but is it possible to completely eradicate electrical technology even May 2020

during stitching for mass production of well fitted tailored garments?

He said that industry uses high tech facilities for mass production and even he uses high tech for mass production but for small projects he can use paddled machines to avoid electricity as much as they can.

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He said this is true but he cannot compromise with the main points like quality and perfection with these low quality machines he cannot produce low quality garments to cater. Even he said he made quality textiles without using electricity but if that is not maintained he will not go the same way. He also added it is not only one aspect.

He said like the garments are hand woven or on handlooms without electricity, the texture is beautiful and quality upto the mark. He also uses usha paddled machines which can produce in lesser consumption of electricity well tailored garments. With paddle machines artisans will not be able to produce the same quality which can be achieved by industrial machines. Again that is not sustainable as it will cost more than the production actually is. The productivity, management and everything depends on the individual rational point of view to what direction he/she wants to take on forward.

The name “Soham� itself has meaning (identifying oneself with the universe or ultimate reality). So, sir do you have any inspiration from your name itself?

Yes or no both at the same time. The name alone cannot be an

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inspiration. It was not his choice for that, though yes to some extent it provides the inspiration.

In this digital world, everyone is busy inventing new techniques where electricity is a priority, but at the same time, what has inspired you to avoid the use of electricity?

For understanding this, everyone needs to understand the process. They always celebrated the use of indian textiles and textures. They were looking at something using not the electricity for production of these traditional textiles. They always wanted to follow ancient processes. They cannot change the core process which is the most vital point.

They initially didn’t think to devoid electricity but yes are trying

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If you like to explain the story behind the block and unblock collection.

He said mostly in the instagram page the process is being elaborated in brief. The process of printing has to be observed in detail. It is more like the psychological blocks. It is unlike the repeated blocks patterns. More similar to his ajrak collection.

Firstly it was a problem for the artisans as well to carry out without any prior designs.

Slowly the confidence grew which made him come up with the unblock collection stories.

Why did you return here in India after starting the label in New York? What are the major differences working in both countries?

It is majorly because he went there to study Masters in Fashion Business. There was also visa issues but that legal status was not a trouble. But as soon as he achieved the fact that it was not serving the purpose what he is upto so decides to return.

He is not a marketing or PR kind of person. He is the person who works based on the procedures, environmental surroundings, the traditional textiles, textures etc.

There is not much difference in the working condition as per the country’s standards.

The market is too competitive. It is not like that whether to stay or return. The main objective is what to attain and where, which he perceived here cannot be achieved there, but here in India can be the direction he is upto, so he returned.

Sir, your latest collection is on indigo, which is considered not to be sustainable because no other crops can be able to grow nearby it, then what’s your take on that?

It is quite a debatable stuff whether some says it is sustainable whereas some says it is not. He personally loves the dye. No other dye can be able to give the colour hue which is possible by this indigo. Even beautiful textures are also achieved. It is not bothering whether it is eco friendly or not but the way it is used.

Our faculty also added, it is not because it will be used in large quantities like denim factories generally do.

He continued, yes it is the whole matter of the process, the quantity used and quality perceived, not alone the dye stuff.

What is your creative approach to your brand’s designing aspect?

He started with scratch. The first approach is that he started with natural fibres and completely avoided synthetic ones. The yarns or fires come from different states.

The craftsmanship and artisans handiworks are on much focus. All everything done with equal importance at every step of the whole production process keeping in mind the aesthetics and ultimate quality served. The process of the brand and its products are itself communicating the morals of the brand.

The designs are minimal, aiming for comfort and ease despite occasions. The dedicat-

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“I celebrate the exquisite Indian rooted traditional textiles and with textures in a modern way” - SOHAM DAVE

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ed team of ahmedabad proving the craftsmanship to the brand on a continuous basis with the artisans. Ultimate objective is to keep the minimalistic style to the sustainable aspect. The word sustainable is not a word to speak for this brand, but actually its DNA. Soham dave is more than a brand based on sustainability. It is actually the entire process to experience. This is the deep line to be felt. Designers like Soham are working to preserve the artisans, rich crafts and hidden talents of our country yet remained to be unexplored.

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The one-year and two-collection old brand was launched in 2017 under Pallavi Shantam’s creative vision. It is a blend of ethereal, adventurous with a subtle bohemian vibe.

B-1, Building 62-63, New Manglapuri, Mehrauli, New Delhi 110030.

Phone: +91 9971366552 Email: care@bunastudio.com

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At itr each design is crafted by carefully curating and juxtaposing textiles of different genre, to create a unique essence. ... The idea is create unbiased designs, which are not bound by trend, time, age, size or place, garments for a timeless wardrobe, that can be borrowed and shared within generations.

104, A Block, Sector 83, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201305

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I am in full hope for the success of my first fashion periodical. It is including the sustainable and aesthetic aspect of the city I am currently in - Ahmedabad. Hope it will fullfil the audience’s interests towards the newer way of self expression. We heartily pray for best wishes for its sucess. Hope we will be able to meet the expectations. It is not subject to motivate any kind of copyrights.

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