WOMEN FOR WOMEN
EXPERIMENTING WITH WEAVES, MATERIALS AND DESIGNS, THESE WOMEN ARE GIVING THE TRADITIONAL A FASHION TWIST
ARATI BAANDAL 37 Founder, OnlyPaithani, handwoven textile brand, Mumbai ON INFUSING NEW STYLES AND COLOURS TO PAITHANI WEAVE # Retaining the charm, in a novel fashion
Traditional Paithanis are seen mostly in hues of purple, red and green. Designing with new colours and patterns gives a fresh lease of life to the weave. Paithanis in bright neon yellow, pink and green bring out the border and pallu designs very well.
# Experimenting with contemporary designs
We are creating a design wherein Warli art is embedded in Paithani weave giving it an appealing look besides blending the pot (matka) design with floral art around it.
# Chequered patterns
Creating checks in handlooms is a tedious and challenging process and is usually done by master weavers. The weaving process is longer as even a small mistake can create uneven checks. We are trying to introduce chequered golden patterns all over in Paithani sarees to bring a new look.
# Benarasi with Paithani borders
Incorporating the Paithani motifs on to the luxurious Benarasi creates stunning masterpieces. This fusion of Paithani motifs with handlooms from different parts of India is also helping popularise the Paithani weave.
NIKITA BHANDARI 33 NAMITA BHANDARI 28 Co-founders, Azga, fashion accessories label, Jaipur ON TRANSLATING CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS INTO TRENDY JEWELLERY
# Drawing inspiration from different elements Great ready-to-wear pieces are not created by impulse. Inspiration can come from flora and fauna, from the architecture around you and from cultural components. The right motivation, infusing it with a distinct feeling and character, and pouring all of that into design is where you start. # Work on design innovation What’s important is to know how to create pieces that create an impression. The design and utilitarian aspect should be brought together in such a way that the product can become much more than just a fad.
DEVINA SINGHANIA 30 Founder, Le Jahaan, home accessories brand, Mumbai and Delhi ON REDEFINING THE ART OF GIFTING AND PACKAGING # Minimalism is key
Think of doing away with the paraphernalia and using only a few elements to make a gift look classy. You can use things available at home such as fresh flowers, classic wrapping papers or brown papers—they are in fashion these days. You can also use ribbons, strings and threads to make the packaging smart and stylish.
# Don’t simply wrap, put in decorative boxes
Gift wrapping used to be the main thing earlier because it was easily available. You picked up any colour paper, tied a bow on it and sent it off. But now you can switch to a pretty box to gift the item—you don’t need gift wrapping and you don’t waste paper. And these fancy boxes can be reused to store knick-knacks or trinkets.
# Mix and match
There are a few classic colour combinations such as black and white, red and white, white and green or you can go pop and do oranges and teals. Whether you change the colour or size depending on the trend, the aesthetics remain the same. # Reinterpreting the classics The charm of vintage and old-fashioned styling is special. Revisiting archives of museums and old photographs is a great way to understand style that’s classic. Reworking on motifs and silhouettes, working on material and adapting the colour story to what’s trending always helps create something joyous and wearable. # Preserving traditional elements Incorporate the age-old craftsmanship of local artisans to transform their works of art into beautiful statement pieces. Creating impeccably crafted pieces requires blending the contemporary and traditional aesthetics as well as techniques. Fostering an environment where ethical ways and traditional skills co-exist with contemporary design and methods in a sustainable manner can benefit everyone..