DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT
“I WORK WITH VARIOUS CRAFT
CLUSTERS ACROSS INDIA,
AND EMPATHISE WITH THEIR
CHALLENGES.”
in shades of midnight blue, azure, deep purple,
dusky brown, beige, clear white, and lush green
with accents of yellow and orange. It featured
appliqué, machine quilting, and upcycled scraps
of fabric which enhanced surface textures. The
silhouettes were easy boxy fits, raglan, kimono
sleeve-tunics, tops, and bifurcates layered with
asymmetric gilets.
Vaibbhavi’s latest collection for Spring/
Summer 2019 is labelled ‘Traversée’, and is
crafted with hand-spun khadi. The kora khadi, i.e.
unbleached, organic, hand-spun khadi, consists
of yarn naturally dyed in brilliant hues of indigo
and Indian madder, which are safe and azo-free.
These are woven in rich textures by dexterous
hands of the skilled women of the Gudi Mudi
Khadi project by WomenWeave, Maheshwar,
India. Taking the slow fashion cause ahead,
the collection also portrays hand-sewn details
and tassels, which are created by upcycling the
loom’s offcuts. The angular armhole details and
sharp pockets are inspired from paper folds,
envelopes, and drawstring fasteners, which aid
in size transition for relaxed silhouettes.
Along with her husband Pruthviraj M R,
Vaibbhavi co-created the label ‘Vaibbhavi P’.
“I work with various craft clusters across India,
empathise with their challenges, and look
forward to the immense opportunities that lie
ahead. The silhouettes are developed to reduce
wastage, and we often upcycle for a frugal
approach to resource utilisation. Design iteration
and improvisation in styles for our collections is
based on feedback,” she explains.
Fabrics form the core of Vaibbhavi’s designs,
and her slow fashion mantra starts with her “love
for the maker and the wearer, the environment,
and heritage craft techniques.” She says,
“Clothes handcrafted with genuine techniques,
and detailed beautifully, are made to last. Trans-
seasonal clothes, separates and coordinates,
and classic silhouettes promote the concept of
‘buy less, buy good’, and can be worn through
the years.
APPAREL
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June 2019
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89