March POOL 2013

cover story working on woolen woven apparel products in Barmer, and felt based products in Tonk, Rajasthan, besides a few interior textiles projects in Pune. And I am working on my art textile pieces which I intend to exhibit in due course.

What keeps you going as a designer?

CB: I do not see a problem as a problem but an opportunity to offer a solution. The best part of this profession is that every design challenge always has its own inherent issues to be addressed and compels you to apply the mind differently each time. Formulas don’t work here.

I am able to say this as I have not limited myself to one kind of work – I do consultancy projects, craft development projects, corporate brand promotional products, art textiles, custom made home textiles for specific environments, unstitched apparel, etc. A hundred mathematicians will have an identical solution to one problem; but if I repeat a solution even once I am no more wanted as a designer. This keeps me going all the time.

I photographically record exciting colors and visuals around me, which helps me to increase my palette of colors and ideas. I have been regularly documenting patterns from architectural carvings, which adds to my resources for heritage related design work.

Do you aim at reviving Indian handicraft and textiles through your work?

CB: I believe in reform instead of a puristic revival. It does not make much sense to recreate forgotten craft unless used for preserving history, and I am sure a lot of museums will support that. There always will be a set of buyers for puristic traditional crafts, but it is important to attract younger customers to traditional crafts. Reintroduction with novelty is essential but it must be sustainable and make commercial sense for artisans.

I think it is important to understand why a craft skill needs revival; it starts becoming extinct mainly because it loses its commercial relevance, especially for artisans, and patrons fail to take notice of the decline of a craft. Hence revival has to be based on commercial relevance. Designers can and must contribute in creating and supporting craft practices that respond to current needs and attract patronage.

I would like to give an example of my work with the Bhagalpur silk industry through a young aspiring entrepreneur, Rohit Khemka of RR Décor. Way back in 1995 Bhagalpur silk weaving was specifically known for its natural, plain, textural weaving and horizontal weft stripes known as Bhagalpur stripes and was used largely for apparels. With much initial resistance from Rohit and the weavers, we introduced warp stripes in the fabrics and it got accepted very well in the home furnishing industry due to its novelty. Within no time it had a noticeable market share with a greater, sophisticated looking range of fabrics, and kept selling for more than a decade.

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