Designer Rajesh Pratap Singh Indias first wool ambassador talks about his ongoing journey to redefine the fabric for summer With the heat picking up pace in most parts of India,it seems like an unlikely time to talk about wool,but thats exactly what Indias noted designer is looking to change. We meet Rajesh Pratap Singh in what is arguably Indias woollen capital,Ludhiana,on a fiery May afternoon. The designer,who is also the countrys first Woolmark ambassador (Singh took on the role earlier this year),has embarked upon a journey to explore the fibre and its potential. It started with his AutumnWinter 2013 collection,which was showcased at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in March this year. The collection proved Singhs expertise in textile engineering,as he explored various techniques of wool such as felting,knitting,patchwork appliques and subtle embroidery. Though its not the first time I have worked with wool,its versatility always surprises me. In my new role,I am getting to learn a lot more about the wool fibre and its characteristics, said the designer. His association with Woolmark has got him in touch with the Ludhiana-based Shingora Textiles. A key player in the shawl industry,Shingora led by its CEO Amit Jain retails not only in India but also in Germany,Holland,Switzerland and Japan. The company is also a premium producer for luxury brands and private labels such as Armani,Polo Ralph Lauren and Paul Smith. Pratap and Shingora have now joined hands to roll out a luxury line of wool and its blends with natural fibres. The premium collection will be launched in August with an eye on the international market. We have been experimenting with wool,blending it with other natural materials. It requires a lot of technical know-how to get it right, said Singh,who is looking to break away from wools conventional usage. For one,its no longer just a cold weather material. Its natural breathability and temperature regulation,combined with new manufacturing methods,makes it ideal for warmer seasons and environments, said Singh. For someone who comes from Rajasthan,the hottest part of India,Singh is keen to tap the insulating properties of wool. While he remains tight-lipped on his engineering experiments,he does talk about working on light-weight wool and a denim finish in wool,for use in summer. I am all for sustainable fashion at the grassroot level. Theres nothing better than using natural fibres such as wool,cotton and linen, said Singh,adding that all over the world,fire-fighting garments are being increasingly made from wool blends. It works as an insulator. Also,the natural elasticity of wool fibre resists creasing and bagging, he added. He is closely associated with Indian fabric mills and has had developmental and research based collaborations with some of them. My experimentation with textiles spans the high-tech as well as low-tech in terms of manpower-intensive handloom weaves, said Singh,who will showcase the results of his Ludhiana project at the Paris Mens Fashion Week later this month. The collection includes accessories such as scarves and some structured pieces as well, said Singh. He will also present a show at the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan next month.
