Kausalyam 2016, which brought together 40 master weavers and designers from across the country, began with a fashion event that spelt class. Crafts Council of Telangana and designer Gaurang Shah wanted to offer their clientèle something more than retail therapy. Rajab Ali and his group set the mood, largely sticking to Sufi numbers made popular by Hindi cinema.
A predictable ramp was replaced by a spacious walk way around the Sufi group. The well choreographed fashion extravaganza saw 10 models sport 72 ensembles. Accommodating this line-up within an hour meant doing away with introductions on each designer or master weaver and their expertise.
Some of the ensembles showcased were worthy enough of being heirloom pieces.
The silk saris by Sufiyan Khatri were unique with double-sided ajrakh prints. “It’s not easy to do ajrakh on both sides of a sari. Each piece took us a month,” he tells us later. The tenth generation ajrakh artisan who is carrying forward the work his ancestors began in the 16th century, when they moved to Bhuj from Sind, shows off a stole with a rare motif he terms ‘cargo’ which his father reproduced from Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
The chikankari by Malavika Chatterjee differs from the generic work one finds on georgettes and muls. A recipient of UNESCO seal of excellence for chikankari in 2012, she explains how fabrics are woven in the state where a weave originates to maintain authenticity. “Maheshwari saris are woven in Maheshwar and then our team does the embroidery,” she says.
Many craftsmen and designers have stories to share; stories of how motifs and patterns evolved and what makes them special.
Mamata Reddy, known for her exquisite work in Kalamkari, took the fashion show as an opportunity to pay a tribute to her friend and designer Saraswati Adhikari, popularly known as Chhuti Adhikari, who lost her battle to cancer in 2015. “Chhuti and I had planned to collaborate for a long time. When we finally got down to doing it, she was battling cancer,” remembers Mamata, showing off Tangail saris with batik and kalamkari, for which she had worked with the late designer.
Ten models, led by the effortlessly charming Carol Gracias and the stunning Reha Sukheja, breezed in and out of the hall, showcasing one elegant outfit after another. The backstage was the place of action, as there were no breaks between sequences.
Talking about how they pulled it off, Gaurang says, “Students from NIFT and a few designers volunteered to help. Together, we helped models get ready for consecutive sequences in minutes.”
Telia rumal and double ikats by Padma Shri awardees Gajam Anjaiah and Gajam Govardhana brushed shoulders with pin-holed bandhani in motifs handed down over generations by SIDR Crafts of Bhuj.
Soham Dave’s contemporary take on clamp dyes contrasted traditional Ahir and Mutva Kutch embroidery showcased by Shrujan, Maheshwari by Mira Sagar, Chanderi by Bela Sanghvi and others.
Innovative designing gave traditional techniques a new spin in the collections of Swati and Sunaina, Ashdeen, Sowmitra Mondal and Anavila among other known names. There was enough room for budding design houses such as Bias, Amen and Eachanari as well.
As the fashion extravanganza closed with models attempting dervishes to ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’, what stood out was the emphasis on textiles and techniques than whimsical trends that change every season.
