DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BRAND’S
MANUFACTURING PROCESS? (WHERE
ARE THE ARTISANS FROM, WHAT KIND
OF TRAINING DO THEY RECEIVE, ETC.?)
We collaborate with artisans (weavers and
embroiders) across multiple pockets of India.
We curate what is known as textile art, and work
with artisans that have been honing their skills for
generations, which is largely a cultural thing. We
respect their skills and build on it by translating
their art into fabrics and contemporary styles
(that are designed by us). We merely encourage
and curate what exists, in an organised manner.
However, we also have an in-house production
unit, and we not only provide training with respect
to textiles but also help the artisans to sharpen
their managerial skills. We identify small groups
of women, teach them a craft, and
nd assign
them a task, which has a ripple effect as
they become responsible enough
h to
manage more team members.
“OUR TEXTILES ARE
EXTREMELY TEXTURAL—THEY
ARE ALIVE, TACTILE, THEY
LOOK AND FEEL INVITING,
AND THEY SPEAK TO YOU.”
them back. We use a varied amount of natural
materials such as bamboo and jute, and work
with a diverse palette of colours that lend our
collections distinctiveness.
WHAT IS NEXT ON THE CARDS FOR
SHADES OF INDIA?
There is a lot to look forward to. We are
reinventing ourselves but the
constantly rein
backbone of whatever we do is innovation in
textiles. So I believe that there will be more
of it.
THE UNIQUENESS OF
YOUR FABRICS HAS
BEEN RECOGNISED THE
WORLD OVER. HOW DO
YOU DEVELOP THE SAME?
?
Our textiles are extremely textural—
al—
they are alive, tactile, they look and
nd
feel inviting, and they speak to you;
ou;
they tell a story; it is as if they draw
aw
you in and ask you to speak with
h
APPAREL
I
December 2019
I
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