January 2020 Edition Apparel January 2020 issue | Page 71

BRAND PROFILE
also about the economic support that the sector
needs. Pavithra Muddaya, managing trustee,
Vimor Handloom Foundation, tells us more in this
exclusive conversation.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
BEGINNING OF VIMOR?
My mother used to work with Cauvery Emporium
as its first-ever manager in the late ’50s, which
exposed us to the world of handlooms. Since
the beginning, my mother has encouraged many,
not just in India, but also abroad, to support
handlooms. After my father’s passing-away, my
mother and I involved ourselves in the one thing
that we knew—saris and handlooms. We had
many friends who helped us at the time. In 1974,
we set up Vimor. We started with selling temple
saris that were supplied to us by businessman
Premraj Bhandari. When they started dwindling
in number, we started recreating these; we
began working extensively with weavers with an
intention to revive traditional designs and weaving
patterns. On our journey, we were supported by
personalities such as Pupul Jayakar, an activist
and writer who was passionate about India’s
arts and crafts, and social reformer Kamaladevi
Chattopadhyay. Over these 45 years, we have
had the privilege of working with master weavers
and watching the next generations of weavers
enter the industry. I must remember at this point
one of the most memorable projects we have
worked on—conceptualising, designing, and
reworking our own pieces for the birth centenary
of Indira Gandhi. It is something that all of us at
Vimor will cherish, always.
“WE BEGAN WORKING
EXTENSIVELY WITH WEAVERS
WITH AN INTENTION TO REVIVE
TRADITIONAL DESIGNS AND
WEAVING PATTERNS.”
WHAT IS THE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
OF THE BRAND?
We have always believed in the power of design.
Vimor has created many beautiful designs that
have gone into production with large numbers
over the years. Our saris have impacted not just
weavers but also businessmen, designers, and
enthusiasts, who have all gained a lot from our
work processes. Design is one tool that will push
conservation, revival, and empowerment, and
improve livelihoods. Our idea is to not complicate
it to the extent that the weaver loses interest
in creating but to simplify motifs and weaving
patterns to enable even the least motivated of the
communities to take up work. If a design stays in
production over a long period of time, I personally
think that to be a success.
APPAREL
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