Kalamkari: Revival of an ancient art form in contemporary fashion

Each piece in the collection begins with softening the fabric, hand drawing the stories and allowing the fabric to soak in the sun’s cleansing energy. According to Jaju, the inspiration was to blend tradition with innovation, creating pieces that are beautiful and meaningful. “We wanted to contribute to the preservation and promotion of Kalamkari — ensuring that these techniques and motifs continue to thrive.”

But it is not only Archana Jaju. Kalamkari is slowly being adopted by other designers and clothing brands, including Shruti Gupta, the founder of Shaza, known for their exquisite shawls crafted using age-old techniques and the finest wool.

Opening up about her Kalamkari experience, Gupta said, “At Shaza, we have modernised the technique to create stories on the softest fabric of pashmina. We design intrinsic patterns, which are then hand-painted using zero brush and extensive strokes to let the paint sink in the fabric — giving it depth and a painting-like effect.”

The founder of Shaza added that the age-old technique has not been well-employed or adapted to its fullest potential as screen painting and digital printing have become preferred. Seeing this gap in the Indian market, she wanted to “go a step further to explore its use in creating narratives”. “Kalamkari is my go-to technique because, with proper training, any skilled artisan can sustain a livelihood through it.”

Pashmina Kalamkari Border Stole. (Source: Shaza’s website)

That’s not all. Her brand also employs other sustainability practices to minimise its carbon footprint. “Since Kalamkari is an organic handcrafted technique, it employs no machinery running on energy. Apart from this, the dyes used are easy to discard as they’re chemical-free with no toxic discharge to the environment. This doesn’t require many resources and the plastic waste is recycled in storing leftover dyes and colours. The brushes that are discarded are wooden and have horsehair,” Gupta said.

Ritu Oberoi, founder of ForSarees, is also launching a luxury product line by collaborating with Kalamkari artisans to create premium sarees and dupattas. “Originally used to depict religious texts, the technique carries a sense of richness and class,” she said, adding that the craft exudes an aura of royalty and cultural heritage — making it perfect for their premium collection.

“We are committed to providing our clients with keepsakes that can be passed on from generation to generation — doing away with fast fashion trends — making Kalamkari an excellent choice for those seeking something special,” Oberoi shared.

But what exactly is Kalamkari?

According to Saroj Bala, professor of textile design, Pearl Academy, Kalamkari originates from the words ‘Kalam’, meaning pen in Persian and ‘Kari’, an Urdu word for craftsmanship.

“Kalamkari is a work of art created by a pen. Recognised as one of the most beautiful art forms in the world, it comprises hand-painted textiles using natural dyes. The ‘pen’ is a short piece of bamboo or a stick from the date palm tree, pointed at the end to form a nib.”

Sharing the history behind the craft, Sharda Nautiyal, another professor at Pearl Academy, said that based on the references found in texts, it appears that this art form evolved almost 3000 years ago in Andhra Pradesh. “During the 13th to 19th centuries, it was trendy in the Deccan region and was traded heavily along the coastal areas of Coromandel. From there, it travelled to the West where Kalamkari was a highly sought-after art form.”

When asked about creating Kalamkari textiles, Jaju opened up about its highly intricate and time-consuming nature, which involves 23 steps. “It starts with selecting a suitable fabric, typically cotton or silk, followed by hand-drawing designs freehand. Mordants are applied to make the dyes adhere better. Once the fabric is dyed and dried, the intricate designs are hand-painted or block-printed onto it using the kalam (pen) or wooden blocks. Once complete, the fabric is washed again to remove any residual dye and fix the colours,” she said.

Promoting the age-old craft

The experts urged that despite designers taking the art form, Kalamkari has slowly lost its relevance in the modern world. “In our educational and value system, exposure to craft is very limited. Traditional craft might lose value because the young generation is becoming more inclined towards technology,” Bala said.

Fortunately, the good news is that with the rise of sustainability in fashion, we are coming back to our traditional roots. “The Kalamkari products have a great connection with a generation looking to create a sustainable wardrobe,” Oberoi explained.

Similarly, if innovative methodologies are combined with age-old crafts to enhance their quality and propagation, Nautiyal said that budding generations can appreciate the beauty and richness of traditional crafts.

“Craft education can be relooked at through gaming, a new way of education for business and design schools. Creating applications might interest students to know more about the craft. Additionally, visiting museums and art galleries can expose the younger generation to learn about these heritage crafts in their original forms. Short documentaries on YouTube and other history channels can be a triggering point to further the study of the craft. Stories can be built around the essence of the craft,” she explained.

Dushala Men’s Kalamkari Shawl. (Source: Shaza’s website)

At the same time, Jaju noted that promoting Kalamkari needs a multifaceted approach to raise awareness and appreciation.

“Education and awareness campaigns, exhibitions and workshops, collaborations between Kalamkari artisans and contemporary designers, integrating Kalamkari into mainstream fashion, home decor, and art markets can expand its reach. Supporting artisan cooperatives and fair-trade practices ensures that artisans receive fair compensation for their work. Lastly, utilising digital platforms for e-commerce and storytelling can make Kalamkari more accessible to a global market,” she said.

“In an era that values individuality and meaningful consumer choices, Kalamkari offers unique, handcrafted items with rich cultural heritage and symbolism,” Jaju concluded.

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