NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY – “a step towards revivalism”

August 7, 2015 has been marked as India’s first National Handloom Day. It’s a milestone step for the Handloom sector and will benefit 43 lakh weavers – directly & indirectly involved with this sector. The historic decision was announced by our Prime Minister Modi at Centenary Hall of Madras University in Chennai awarding Sant Kabir Awards along with National Awards to the weavers and the master-weavers for their remarkable work for the years 2012, 2013 & 2014.

                                    a happy weaver weaving on handloom in chanderi, M,P

“India Handloom” brand and the logo was also launched during the same event and will be a great step towards revivalism of Indian Handloom, Weavers and also will help in developing and producing good quality products with their better positioning as well.

The Swadeshi Movement started the same day on 7^th august in 1905, giving the date the special significance in India’s history to be chosen for this historic day. This day will be celebrated all over the country in cooperation with state governments.

The step taken will promote handloom as a genuine international product of good quality and also the weavers and their craftsmanship. India has one of the finest textile traditions in the world and handloom  weaving is one of the largest activity after agriculture. 95% of the world’s handwoven fabric comes from India.

Source – DNA India

Handloom is an integral part of our old age traditions and depicts the richness and diversity of our country and the artistry of weavers.

This historic day should not be celebrated only for a single day, but should involve a round the year programmes to upgrade and uplift the state of the weavers. Poverty, hunger & debt are few issues which are forcing the weavers to give up their crafts and switch to alternate options such as – mechanics, watchman etc. Inconsistent incomes, unending poverty, not adequate supply of water, electricity,  poor educational facilities are few major issues which are forcing them to leave their villages, their crafts and also to put their children and family people into some different area to earn their sustainable living. The government policies are not reaching to them in a proper way and the profit earned by them is way too less for their survival.

Their struggle is on………..and so this historic decision will provide an impetus to the handloom industry, the weavers, the craftsmanship and their survival.

Is Fashion restricted to only costumes?

"Fashion", the term is not only restricted to clothes, its far more than that, it's everywhere.It's in everything, what we see in our daily life, in the skies, the streets, etc.We can see different extraordinary colors, textures & patterns in the nature.Designers get inspirations from the designs, colour and patterns from the nature. Fashion, all has to do, is with, is the ideas and the interpreation of the same.
It's a very fast activity, which is to be altered every six months.And every six month of an year is a season in fashion.Fashion follows two seasons - spring/summer & autumn/winter.Fashion is not always a style.
"Fashion becomes fad, but style remains classic."

designme: Fashion....

designme: Fashion....: Fashion is all about looking nice.It's about one's personnel look. Being into fashion is not fashion, it's about how you create your own fa...

Fashion....

Fashion is all about looking nice.It's about one's personnel look. Being into fashion is not fashion, it's about how you create your own fashion.
Being fashionable doesn't mean being thin or having eight pack abs, it's about being fit physically & mentally both.It's about carrying a fashion in your own way, creating a new style statement of your own.Because style remains for a longer period of time.

I am attatching some photos from my first collection, based on "Chanderi Sarees", a traditional saree from the origins of Chanderi,Madhya Pradesh (INDIA).These sarees are well known for its drape, delicacy and sheer majesty.The sarees are delicately woven with the traditional motifs.

Now, the transformation I did was, I introduced motifs inspired from "Numbers & Letters". As from my knowledge, I have seen numbers and letters always printed, ornamented on the surfaces but never being woven into a saree.I introduced motifs that were made out of numbers and letters combined together and was made a compositional motif, that were further woven into the saree.

This was a new step in regards to Chanderi sarees, moving out from the traditional concept and providing the new trend people (customer) some new designs, Which further will help the craft to survive and compete in the present scenario.

Another, best thing of the collection is that, the collection is entirely woven on handloom with hard labour and artisan's mastery.

Designer statement - "Being with artisans taught me how laborious it is to produce even a single yardage of chanderi fabric.Much amount of toil,and labour is put into these sarees, which makes them stand different from all other conventional drapes of India."

"I have tried to give Chanderi sarees an overall different look.The changes are done such that the essence of sarees are main tained , alongwith given a look."

design me

Some important points regarding Design are -
* Design is all about experiments, until you come up with something new.
* If you do not have dreams, then they can never come true.
* Good is the enemy of Great.
* We must know how to turn a challenge into an oppurtunity.
* Just because life is good does not mean it cannot get any better.
* Everyone copies to some extent or other.In fact, you have to copy to be creative.
* All ideas arise, when someone, conciously or unconciously, combines at least two things. In other words, all creativity is, to some extent, a form of copying.
* Picasso once said, " Good artists copy.Great artists steal."

designme

Design is never good or bad.It's all about its acceptance.Design is also about assessing the need and fulfilling that need assessment.It is all about improvisation.

A design can not be permanent or can be termed as done.It's an ongoing process.Designing can not be done under any type of limitations or boundations.It needs flexibility to stay alive.It's a sense of direction.

Sense of color is a very important part of design.Colors add an attraction parameter to a particular design.A good design can also look bad if the color combination chosen is not appropriate or according to the design.

People often say, more time spent on a design can enhance a design.But, I think it's illogical.Because, from my point of view, a good design can never be judged by the span of time spent on it.A good design can be thought in a single moment or can take years.