The Textile Geek
Rajesh Pratap Singh goes from strength to strength as he spins fantastic weaves that are at the heart of Indian textiles
WHAT’S NEW?
Off late, his traditional craftsmanship is finding expression through new, androgynous silhouettes He isn’t a man in hurry. He patiently goes through the fabric handed to him, hangs it against the sun, studies the fine pin tucking and hands it over to the assistant with instructions. He is a man of few words but designer Rajesh Pratap Singh, 48, doesn’t have to sell himself to anyone. His work does the talking.
Long before handloom became a hash tag, Singh spent time working with weavers across the country, giving double Ikat, Sambhalpuri and Pashmina a new voice. Over the years, he has worked towards the cause of sustainable fashion which has become quite the buzz word today.“My work involves creating new things,” he says. “I don’t believe in tags.” The most dedicated foot soldier of handwoven textiles, he is one of the few designers who has stayed relevant thanks to his textile work.
While he has always focused on aesthetics of the loom, he is the poster boy for sustainable fashion as he wraps his head around complex yarns and gives them a contemporary voice. His most recent collection for the Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer ‘17 highlights the designer’s progression and brings attention to his keen design sense. Here. the signature deconstructed look is replaced by androgynous silhouettes as he designs for a younger, more socially aware Indian seeking newness.