India shines in style, no matter what!
On I- Day, here’s looking at what makes this country the endless treasure trove of inspiration
The late Karl Lagerfeld captured the sights, smell and sounds of the last days of the Raj in Chanel’s Pre-Fall 2012 collection. Fashion critic Tim Blanks noted in his review, “The theme ParisBombay was a reminder that Europe’s fashion industry has increasingly turned to India to produce extravagantly handworked pieces...” Cut to the present, for Spring Summer 2020, designer Ulla Johnson, extrapolated gauzy plaids which were loomed in India and designer Julien Dossena in Paco Rabanne’s SS19 outing, put the spotlight on the Indian paisleys, giving a new look to the label’s signature chainmail dresses.
While at one point, the India-inspired story was limited to a superficial Maharaja reference or a sari drape or desi Baroque, today, global design houses are seen making an attempt to rediscover this aesthetic in a more responsible way.
India is no longer seen as the land of snake charmers, but a global powerhouse of talent and creativity with an unsurpassed legacy of weaves, textiles and craft. For instance, designer Isabel Marant for her Spring 2016 line sourced vibrant textiles from Rajasthan and Etro’s SS 13 menswear collection comprising silks and turbans borrowed from Mahabharata. Designer Shruti Sancheti observes, “The rich heritage of surface ornamentation and opulent textiles have found their way in many international designer’s collections and will continue being a prominent leader in this field for the sheer diversity and variety each part of the country has to offer. Along with the rich tradition of craftsmanship and a variety of weaves, another advantage is skilled and cheap labour, making us a choice parallel to none.The future of global sourcing from this land will now be more of cultural assimilation rather than dramaturgy and excessive way sometimes India is interpreted.”
As consumers have started looking into how their garments are made, Indian textiles have made a lasting impression with the finesse and deftness of human hands, and the organic origins. Designer Neeta Lulla says, “The world has started to appreciate the beauty of Indian textiles, but still there is a scope for a lot more; to make our crafts more accessible and increase their global appeal. As the planet moves towards sustainability, it’s time that India leads the way. ” Designer Aniket Satam opines that India has always been this epicentre of one of the world’s ancient and diverse civilisations. “We as a nation represent an ocean of heritage textiles, crafts skills and costume history - right from the Indus Valley to the Vedic period to the British colonists. In today’s times of cultural appropriation and religious sensitivity, international design houses are rediscovering this mammoth heritage in a more authentic way possible,” says Satam.