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Journalism of Courage
ZaiD Khatri from Ajrakhpur, a tiny village in the craft-rich Kutch district of Gujarat, didn’t think much about continuing the family tradition of block printing. The 21-year-old loved painting but it was only during the pandemic lockdown that he had fun with it and got so good at it that he subsequently joined Somaiya Kala Vidya, a skilling school for artisans that helps them contemporise design. “I never liked geometry, so I deconstructed, horizontal, vertical ko tod diya, added the fluidity of my paintings and did asymmetrical designs,” says the young designer who has just set a new grammar that scorched the ramp at the recent Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai.
Taking block printing, tie-and-dye and the wax-resist dyeing technique of batik, he has given a fluidic and most contemporary interpretation to ajrakh that’s not only set to resolve the debate of tradition versus modernity but is expected to rule the summer fashion trends both at home and the world. Be it on summer pantsuits, headgear, kaftans, long summer dresses, capes, wraps and separates in cotton and silk, artisan designers like Zaid and Mubbasirah Khatri are giving abstract and digital prints a run for their money.
The Indian lookbook has never been more distinctive as designers are finally owning their Indianness, embracing khadi and homegrown weaves, choosing sustainability, rebelling against the West-inspired concept of seasons and sitting comfortably in their own skin. “Today, fashion is moving away from rigid classifications. Nobody wants to be boxed into categories like ethnic or Western; they want clothes that seamlessly adapt to different occasions, moods and personal styles,” says ace designer Tarun Tahiliani.
Zaid and Mubassirah are among the emergent class of artisan designers, who are born to tradition and, therefore, have the confidence to experiment with it, mixing patterns and dyes. While Zaid has played with amoebic patches of ajrakh alongside wavy colour bands of bandhni and a batik peeping from within them, he has done away with the combination palette of black, red, white and blue. “I have used single or double colours and worked with tones,” he says, of his bold wash effect on bohemian gowns and pants.
Mubassirah, 25, draws inspiration from human anatomy for her stoles, shrugs and co-ord sets. “I see nature and the Tree of Life replicated in our neural networks and organs. So I combine the two together, with my prints looking like an unbroken chain of nature and the human body,” she says. Both retail through Instagram, Zaid’s label being Ajrakh Gharana and Mubassirah’s Elysians.
Khadi is the new mood board while having a long, crush-free shelf life unlike linen. Designer Karishma Shahani-Khan, the mind behind the label Ka-Sha, considers khadi an ideal summer fabric. “It is one of the most malleable textiles. You can use two layers of the fabric to give structure to robust jackets and suits and just a single layer to get your wavy falls. We have played with black and white, in stripes, geometric designs, chevron and mirror image patterns. We have also played with contrasting black and white in reversible capes and shrugs. The best part is our khadi line is trans-seasonal with a lot of separates. Layer them up in colder weather or peel them down in summer,” she says.
Women, she believes, are demanding multifunctionality, combining the formal structured and informal flowing look in one outfit. “Women now want clothing that transits easily between their various roles. With this khadi collection, you can make an effortless switch from a formal dinner to a mehndi party, bridging both office hours and after hours,” says Khan. Her woman’s line is also about functionality as she has put pockets in between her layers. “Since both Indian men and women are worried about hiding their belly fat, we have done a lot of structuring upwards of the torso and then allowed it to flare out in dresses and kurtas while easing into loose pants. Khadi sits perfectly with every body type. Tailored khadi pants for men are no more the traditional plain black or white, they have signature stripes,” adds Khan.
The muddy base of khadi has got a vibrant makeover from Nargis Zaidi, head of apparel at CoEK (Centre of Excellence for Khadi), which has put Khadi India at par with private commercial brands like FabIndia. “Khadi being a good colour absorbent, our collection is lit with monochromatic solids like yellows, reds, browns, moss greens, teal and tone-on-tones. There’s a lot of colour blocking happening this season with three contrasting solids layered upon each other, be it in dhotis, saris and drapes. We have also used structured jackets and overlays as accessories that go with flowing lines, be it saris, dhotis, skirts or cropped pants. We have styled up the jacket as a year-round fashion must-have,” she says.
Zaidi has played a lot with textures, using the fine-yarn, almost muslin-like khadi cotton from Bengal, that absorbs the moisture from the delta to float free, and teamed it up with coarser cotton from the plains. The katran jacket, made of leftover pieces of khadi at weaver workshops, was a hit at the spring edition of the Moscow Fashion Week last month and is expected to set a new reuse design mantra for the season.
One of the reasons that khadi is back in a big way, according to Zaidi, is because it lends itself to the loose, overzised shirt-fit with a casual smartness without looking odd, just perfect for summer.
Khadi blends are taking off in a big way with fashion designer Nikasha Tawadey Khemka focusing on the luxuriant khadi silk. “It is very summer-friendly, you won’t sweat at parties. At the same time, you will look gorgeous. While it works for formal wear among both men and women, khadi jumpsuits can get young people excited. I am using the paper-thin khadi, made from 100 per cent cotton rags. Usually, it is softened. But I use it to lend volume to dhoti and sari, puff up hemlines and balloon sleeves,” she says.
Tahiliani has staked his pret label OTT on the mix-and-match philosophy. “Fashion should be an extension of personal expression — clothing should adapt to the wearer, not the other way around. The mix-and-match philosophy works because it allows individuals to build a wardrobe that is versatile and seasonless. When pieces can be layered, styled differently, and reinvented over time, they naturally become investments rather than just fleeting trends,” he reasons.
In fact, every piece at OTT, from ivory white to Mediterranean colour pops, can be worn interchangeably, making them multi-use. “Integrating Indian craft with contemporary silhouettes is cultural. Whether you are styling a draped gilet with denim or pairing a chikankari jacket over a dress, the idea is to create clothing that is not bound by age, occasion, or even geography,” says Tahiliani.
Tahiliani believes that silhouettes continue to be fluid, easy to drape and endlessly versatile. “Structure meets movement in a way that feels effortless. Natural, breathable fabrics that move with the body always work best. They drape beautifully and lend themselves to both layering and standalone styling,” says the designer who works with linen, Chanderi, jersey, organza and georgette.
Young Abhishek Shinde of the men’s label Abhichiq has kept his silhouettes versatile, including hybrid cropped coats, Cuban-collared bombers, breezy, fine-count cotton shirts and layered long shirts over pleated shorts and wide-bottom trousers. “There is relaxed tailoring for that easy-breezy feel, yet sharp enough to keep it crisp,” he says.
Tahiliani votes for soft, muted pastels like sage, taupe and ecru, which often get overlooked in favour of brighter hues. “There’s a quiet elegance in these shades — they are cooling, versatile and work beautifully with Indian skin tones. A subdued summer palette can be just as striking, allowing craftsmanship and silhouettes to shine without overwhelming the eye,” he says. Zaidi is partial to indigo, Nikasha to hot pink while Khan votes for incandescent gold on black khadi silk on summer nights — may be as polka dots.
Designer Niki Mahajan has always loved cultural movements and has been drawn to French Baroque paintings and embroidery. “I used the Procreate software to digitally print them on khadi with a 3D effect. Imagine the grandeur of baroque and French brocades translated into prints and then laid over the earthy texture of khadi, maximal and minimal at the same time, on a long summer dress. Who said you couldn’t dress up for the sunny side of life?” she asks.
