Fabric Fetish

A shared love for Indian textiles has culminated in Akuri by Puri, actor Amrita Puri’s fashion label with mother Anita Puri.

Amrita Puri (in one of her creations) with mother Anita Puri.

My mother is a fabric fanatic. Dad often jokes that even if we leave her alone in a desert, she will return with some kind of fabric,” says actor Amrita Puri of Aisha and Kai Po Che fame. Amrita’s mother, Anita, had a penchant for designing and over the years had acquired yards of fabric from various parts of the country while travelling with her husband, top banker Aditya Puri.

Once, she visited homes of Kashmiri women and persuaded them to reproduce their embroideries on cotton as opposed to wool. On another occasion, en route to meeting her son at Mayo College, she took a detour to a nondescript market in Ajmer to purchase indigenous fabrics.

“Our wardrobe had started to overflow with unstitched fabrics so we thought of ideas to use them,” says Amrita. Last year, the mother-daughter duo organised exhibitions, showcasing the fabrics to friends and family. The success encouraged them to tailor the fabrics according to their style, and thus, Akuri by Puri was born in January.

The label comprises kaftan-esque maxis, separates that include crop-tops and flared skirts, kurtas and palazzos, tops, dresses and capes, all in bright hues. The name, inspired by the popular Parsi egg preparation, was in keeping with the mix of styles that the two women bring to the brand. “It’s a happy scramble. While the dresses are more me, the shirt kurtas and capes are my mother’s idea,” says Amrita. There are weaves such as ikat and brocade, and materials with bandhani, block-print, and phulkari work, among others.

For Anita, without any formal training in fashion, the process became a professional extension of something she has been doing for years — designing for family. She uses multiple textiles in an outfit, employing lighter fabrics for the backs of the pieces. “While sitting, the material takes your shape and thus, crepes and chiffons fall better on the back,” she says.

Amrita brought in her own boho-chic style to the brand. As few women prefer to carry dupattas, she has paired long shirts with palazzos, designed cape-like tunics — all these with a little gota or a bit of bling like gold buttons. “I’m Punjabi so a little chamak-dhamak is essential,” says Anita, laughing.

Akuri by Puri showcased at a resort in Goa last month, and will travel to a multi-designer store in Pune this week. The designs are available on the brand’s Facebook page, Akuri by Puri, with prices ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 18,000. Meanwhile, their capsule collection for Fall/Winter is in the offing, says Amrita.

shikha.kumar@expressindia.com

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