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to roots Amazon India Fashion Week-Spring Summer 2017 paid impressive attention to homegrown fabrics. Let’s have a look at how Indian designers are bringing handloom back in vogue. Text: Karan Bhardwaj
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or the first time, a group of 16 designers dedicated a show to the Chanderi fabric, mostly neglected in the glamorous bylanes of fashion today. Anita Dongre, Ruchika Sachdev, Samant Chauhan, Vaishali S, Divyam Mehta, Gaurav J Gupta and others kick-started a move expected to boost the fabric as well as handlooms of the
Chanderi region. Mostly known for saris, the fabric was reinterpreted in a vast template of silhouettes with shimmery skirts, jumpsuits, pantsuits and saris. Dongre, who ran high on gold, said, “Gold is eternal. I do a lot of themes in gold. This colour cannot go out of vogue.” Jyotiraditya Scindia walking the ramp for the cause was the highlight of the show.
A blend of the traditional and the contemporary, Payal Pratap’s collection has been designed for ‘a globally aware consumer with a penchant to experiment’. The avantgardism comes through the sari dress, structured jackets, cropped boleros, peplum jackets as well as jumpsuits. However, to retain the earthiness, she used all homegrown fabrics: khadi, linen, cotton and chanderi silks and cotton. Playing with a myriad of textures, embroideries, geometric and patchwork prints, the designer has taken forward the ‘stitch story’ to another level. The clothes are easy and wearable.
76 | Rail Bandhu - December 2016
www.railbandhu.in
Payal Pratap
Payal Pratap