Paper Pret

When Japanese textile designer Ryoko Haraguchi came to India in the late 80s for the first time,she visited Jaipur and was completely taken in by the varieties of soft cotton,light silk and chiffon. “I was a textile advisor for a Japanese company and the range of fabrics here is amazing,” spoke Haraguchi in halting English. The 53-year-old runs Sind,a design studio and gallery by the same name back home in uptown Tokyo,and is in Delhi for her first exhibition,Sindh Haath Heart,at the India International Centre. Her garments are an interesting mix of Japanese and Indian textiles,she has eco friendly,sturdy,paper bags and washable jackets made out of recyclable paper. Haraguchi showed us around the 13 outfits on display—a chiffon skirt,paired with a deep red taffeta blouse,while a flowing jacket,dyed with a traditional Japanese technique called Itajime was paired with a Khadi skirt. The handbags made of Japanese paper called Kozo are unique,as are the long kimono sashes called Obi. The handmade paper jacket is in collaboration with Haraguchi’s American husband Richard Flavin. “The fibre is very strong and it can withstand chemical treatment,” says Haraguchi who,with Flavin,is working on a new brand Jion,that only uses handmade paper and

Indian silks.

The exhibition is on at
IIC Annexe till December 10.
Contact: 24619431