Indian summer

Organic and hand-woven fabrics were the highlights of the show curated by the Morarka Arts Foundation at LFW

Barefooted models walked the ramp to the sounds of tribal beats, interspersed with the chirping of birds and music of the woods. In the setting that recreated a forest, what completed the scenery were the borders of the models’ drapes with reindeers, wild berries and dragonflies embroidered on them. Intricate khatwa work in other similar forest-inspired motifs embellished the back of the blouses.

Debutante designer Anavila Misra’s collection ‘The Secret Life of the Forest’ at the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2014 was inspired by the women of the Santhali tribe from Jharkhand. Dominated by a mix of patterns and embroidery methods, such as khatwa, batik, sujani and hand texturing, and colours such as indigo, ecru and sap green, the collection seemed like a perfect reason to endorse linen sarees this summer.

Misra’s collection, however, was one of three lines that made up the special show at LFW by Morarka Arts and Crafts Foundation, a non-profit organisation. Aimed at furthering the revival of the rich tradition of Indian textile, this show was curated by Sangita Sinh Kathiwada, who owns the fashion store Mélange.

The show, thus, also included a collection of khadi denims by Shani Himanshu, Smita Singh Rathore and artist Mia Morikawa’s label 11.11/ eleven eleven, hand-woven fabric in contemporary cuts by Aratrik Dev Verman’s Tilla and hundred per cent linen sarees by Misra’s eponymous label.

Since everyday wear was the underlying theme of the show, 11.11/ eleven eleven — known for its organic textiles and wearable clothes — seemed like a fitting addition with its Destination Equilibrium collection. Presented in a street-style manner with regular people, such as artistes, musicians and architects walking the ramp, the label’s hipster-inspired collection featured casual jackets, shirts and trousers. The use of khadi denim, kala cotton — a recently revived indigenous textile from Kutch — crepe and ari silk gave the collection a relaxed vibe.

For the sultry summer ahead of us, the Mogra collection by Verman’s Tilla was a breezy and fresh interlude. The use of hand-woven Indian fabrics such as khadi silk and Chanderi with a splattering of block prints and badla work lent the collection immense wearability. We especially liked the speech bubble-like print. And while all three labels had a distinct vibe and style, Kathiwada’s curation gave the show a definite direction with cohesiveness in thought and theme.

meenakshi.iyer@expressindia.com

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