Apparel March 2020 Apparel March 2020 issue | Page 40

FEATURE
The second collection presented
contemporary-style garments of natural dyed
Ikkat from Uzbekistan by Azizbek Murtazayev. It
also showcased hand-embroidery with natural
dyed yarns, zardozi, ari and marodi embroidery
work. The sequins, beads and all other threads
were sourced from Asif’s studio, Ahmedabad.
The collection was an ode to Mughal emperors
whose forefathers came from Uzbekistan and
made India their home.
Next, was the showcase of a collection of
fine Kota Doria muslin sarees designed by Vidhi
Singhani and woven by master weaver Mustakim
Kachara. Vidhi has helped the weavers revive
their textile and transformed Kota Doria to make
it exude a contemporary fashion statement.
Mustakimbhai is renowned for weaving fine light-
weave Kota Doria muslins with cotton and silk
yarns. For the collection he wove the fabrics with
metal yarns to give them a regal look.
The fourth collection presented Ashavali
sarees designed by Rani Darshana Kumari,
Gitanjali Shah, Priyanjali Katoch of Sri Tanabana,
whose work involves extensive revival of Ashavali
brocades, and master weaver Paresh Patel.
A fourth generation weaver, Paresh and his
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March 2020
team from Ridrol near Ahmedabad graced the
garments with traced and brocade motifs. Their
vivid palette echoed the advent of the Spring
Wedding season. Ashavali brocades are said to
have laid the foundation for brocades in India.
The next collection featured traditional Indian
formal garments of Eri silk fabrics designed
by designer and entrepreneur Jyoti Reddy,
founder of Ereena - a brand synonymous with
fine Eri silk garments and textiles. The fabrics
for the garments were woven by master weaver
Vishveshwar Rao, from the Uppada village,
East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. For the
collection, Eri yarn in jewel tones and metal yarns
were used for Jamdani weaving that involves
weaving with extra weft yarn to create complex
floral motifs and geometrical strips.
The sixth collection presented the beauty of
legendary Pashmina shawls from Kashmir. The
shawls were designed by Asaf Ali and woven and
embroidered by master weaver Maqbool Ahmed
Sheikh and his team of artisans. The shawls have
been woven and embroidered with delicate motifs
and elaborate compositions in understated colour-
combinations, capturing the beauty of royal courts
and patrons in India and across the world.