DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
multiple steps to get the required colour one
needs to ensure that it does not bleed. Yet, it is
a meditative process and draws me to itself over
and over again,” Riddhi says.
For Out of the Blue, she collaborated with
artisans in West Bengal and Bengaluru to weave
silk fabrics, and those in Kutch to weave Kala
cotton. She then planned and created the surface
design with the nui shibori technique; the fabrics
were resist-dyed at her studio that has a team
of eight, as well as at Aranya Naturals, Kerala, a
company involved in natural dyeing.
Tulika then designed comfortable, timeless
garments with easy-flowing silhouettes (such as
a hands-free sari) that could be worn by women
of different builds. It also has versatile separates
such as capes, jackets, bottoms, tunics, shirts,
“THE FOUNDATION OF THIS
RANGE IS ZERO-WASTE
PATTERN-MAKING.”
and scarves, which can be mixed and matched
to create ensembles.
The collection took 18 months to be created.
“In this collection, form has led to function
because of the way shibori integrates with the
fabric and lends it texture, and how the pattern
contours the body. Every garment herein is a
composition of ideas that tumble and twirl over
each other to gain form and surprise each time
one interacts with it. The foundation of this range
is zero-waste pattern-making, allowing every inch
of the fabric, including the selvedge, to be used
as detail. The garments have trans-seasonal
silhouettes that fit all,” Riddhi elaborates.
Inspiration comes to Riddhi from life around
her, from art, and anything that has a tactile
nature. She, along with Tulika, is presently
menswear collection that will feature
working on a me
shibori garments. Together, they
indigo-dyed shib
taking Out of the Blue to a show in
will also be tak
Dhaka in 2020, at the invitation from
Dha
the Fashion Design Council
of Bangladesh.
o
In a similar vein, Riddhi is also
looking
forward to taking her
lo
creations
to international markets.
cre
APPAREL
I
December 2019
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59