Power to the loom

This National Handloom Day, we revisit a few of the country’s forgotten weaves and those engaged in their painstaking revival

India’s handloom story began as early as the 18th century and, till date, traditional weaves and prints are an integral part of the country’s sustainable fashion movement. As we commemorate National Handloom Day on August 7, the upcoming Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) will follow it up with the twelfthedition of its exclusive Sustainable Fashion Day (August 17), and a brand new ‘Craft is Cool’ line featuring five young designers and their collaborations with artisans working with handblock printing techniques like dabu, ajrakh, and tie-and-dye prints like shibori and bandhej.

On a strong revival route, the Indian textile and handloom story has scaled up with movements like the #100sareepact and #IloveHandloom taking social media by storm. Gautam Vazirani, fashion curator at LFW, is taking it forward with the agenda to make craft fashionable and desirable to the fashion conscious 20-somethings obsessed with fast fashion and high street stores. “A year or two ago, handloom wasn’t a buzzword. The movement has caught on today, and we have a new generation of designers and brands engaging with craft and textiles, translating it into a high-fashion statement. The handloom movement is a sustainable philosophy and not a trend.”

Two handloom revivalists tell us why corporate support is important to ramp up the movement, and why sourcing directly from weavers is the best option.

Sabita Radhakrishnan,

textile and craft activist

Handlooms are a legacy, and social media is playing an important role in sustaining the movement. Initiatives like the #100sareepact and #60handloomsaree pact have received tremendous response. I also same across a Gulf Sari Pact on a visit to Dubai.

There is a new-found love for handlooms: youngsters who have never worn saris are now sporting them. I also see people going beyond the purchase; they delve into the garment’s history, visit where it is being produced and, in turn, help weavers.

Fashion labels working with traditional textiles is great, and institutions like NIFT can play a bigger role by introducing a separate handloom section at their shows. Weavers need to be encouraged to use their traditional know-how and bring a contemporary shift in their designs. Ensuring they have a sustainable market is equally important, which is why we help organise shows across the country.

The century-old Kodali Karuppur weave — a combination of jamdani weaving with gold prints and painting with natural dyes — was only made for royalty. I initiated a revival at Kalakshetra CERC a few years ago. Costing over a lakh, the saris with the original techniques are only a few in number, and can be viewed at the Madras Museum, Delhi Craft Museum and the Calico Museum in Ahmedabad. My talk will highlight the issues behind its revival (it is prohibitively expensive) and how corporate sponsorship will help revive the weave.

Rohit Ramakant

Phalgaonkar,historian

There is a demand for handloom, and unless local governments support the movement, it is tough to sustain it. To restore something to its old glory – be it a monument or a weave – we need to recreate its original elements. This is the same principle I applied in reviving the Goan Gauda sari. I worked with samples over 70-80 years old and original colours from the threads. I have not altered the sari’s colour palette or border because we need to showcase such weaves to the present generation in their original form. They need to see what we have lost, and learn to appreciate the weaves. Today, it is not economically viable to set up handloom units in Goa, and the Government must market the weave as a tourist attraction, set up training centres perhaps. Even to research and collect samples, there is a dearth of funds. I am now seeing weavers collaborating with international designers and handloom enthusiasts, which is great, but we need the necessary infrastructure in our country to sustain the movement.

They will be speaking at ‘Celebrating Handlooms’, a panel discussion being organised by The Crafts Council of India on Monday. At Kamala Crafts Shop, Co-optex, Egmore, from 4.30 pm – 5.30 pm. 28191457

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fashion/handloom-revival/article19427293.ece