Apparel September 2019 Apparel September 2019 issue | Page 58

FABRIC SPEAK
THE MANGALAGIRI FABRIC IS SUCH
A HUMAN-INTENSIVE OPERATION,
THAT ITS VERY EXISTENCE
DEPENDS ON MORE AND MORE
WEAVERS TAKING TO THE
HANDCRAFTED TEXTILE.
a steady source of income. The Padmashali
community predominantly works on these
weaves, and has been doing so for generations.
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I APPAREL I
September 2019
REVIVAL CUES
The Mangalagiri fabric is such a human-intensive
operation, that its very existence depends
on more and more weavers taking to the
handcrafted textile. This, unfortunately, is not the
case as few weavers actually receive their due,
especially when one looks at the sheer effort
involved in creating the textile. “Fewer weavers
are taking to the profession, resorting to odd jobs
or even quitting the profession altogether. This is
also where patronage from the Government and
design houses comes into play. Many designers
are now supporting traditional Indian textiles
and artisans to help fuel India’s textile traditions.
For instance, A-listers such as Sabyasachi,
Anita Dongre, and Gaurang Shah have been
using traditional Indian weaves to craft their
latest collections,” says Yatin Jain, Co-director
at ODHNI. Many e-commerce platforms also
offer new wings to traditional textiles by stocking
these handloom weaves at affordable costs.
They also help in offering finished garments from
these weaves, giving urban buyers a chance
to access these prized textiles. Puneet adds,
“Using Mangalagiri and other traditional textiles
as a base, more brands can decidedly go indie
in their approach, the way Anita Dongre does, for
example, with her label, Grassroot.
“Apart from using the soft cotton yarn to create
scarves, stoles, and dupattas, the fabric can be
moulded into loose tops, tunics, wrap dresses,
and other summery delights. The all-season fabric