Weaves that speak a diverse language
“Look at yourself, the colours you are
wearing. Rust paired with dark magenta, and trimmed with
olive green. Can
anyone but us Indians, conceive such surprising yet glorious combinations!” Nidhi
Jain had remarked at my handwoven Tussar the first time I met her three years
back. Nibbling at the tantalising lemon cheese cake sitting before us, I
immediately stopped, looked up at her and smiled. “I am glad you think this
works because somehow my mother doesn’t. She’s from the old school where saris
needed to be matched with blouses. But I love contrasts. It’s how traditional
weaves can get that contemporary spin. I’m going back to tell my Ma what you
said,” we hit it off instantly over our love for handloom, textiles and a
delish cheese cake on a balmy winter afternoon in a quaint café in the south of
the capital.
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Dancer Shobhna Narayan (in front) with Nidhi Jain |
The other day as I readied for a
concept shoot with her we just picked up from where we left during out last
session. The world of vintage textiles, luxury weaves, the beauty of the fabric
and the modern techniques that she’s incorporating into the traditional methods.
For the shoot, I zeroed in on an exquisite light pink Bomkai from Odisha that
flaunted the complex structure of the Ikat procedure. Contrasted with the
signature Chakra design in black for the border and pallu, Nidhi showed me the
trimmings that made the sari stand out even more. A broad patch of fabric with
Warli prints near the pallu end, a bright yellow back-border made the sari fall
so much better.
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Jaya Jaitley |
“While I grew up watching my mother
always in a sari, there is a constant need to make the weaves relatable to the
youngsters now. While there are many young women who love donning the sari for
special occasions, even today they would prefer the Chinese crepe than a lovely
handwoven Upada silk because they are yet to witness the versatility of luxury
handwoven saris. But gradually the notion is changing and it is a joyous time
for the weaves. For my new collection we have combined weaves and crafts from
five regions of India to create an ensemble that is rich, luxuriant and
gorgeous,” informs Nidhi, pointing at the wedding lehnga made with a yellow handwoven
Banarasi and laced with an emerald velvet patch with intricate zari embroidery.
The choli is red tussar silk and the dupatta is a beautiful patan patola
finished off with delicate aari work on the edges. “The design palette is ruled
by the weaves and crafts that are old. But the way we put it together makes it
modern.”
Interestingly, when Nidhi launched
her first fashion studio and label, Hues, after passing out from NIFT in 1994,
it wasn’t about the traditional six yards that she today is known for
designing. It was a studio that housed western wear for the fashionable lady.
However, true to her love for handlooms and handwoven textiles, the western
wear was crafted out of only handloom material. “Though Hues was a success, it
did not take long for me to realize that my true calling was handloom saris and
I started working with them,” says the textile designer who is an emissary of
handloom and handwoven saris from several parts of India.
Nidhi’s love for saris, a garment she
considers to be one with every Indian woman, was inherited from her mother. “She
used to wear the sari like how we wear our track suits. Even when she woke up
in them, the sari just stayed in its place. Soft, rich and elegant, the
aesthetics for the six yards were
imbued early. Traditional weaves and handloom
fabrics became a part of our lifestyle. I wore phulkari and kalamkari dupattas.
Words like ikat and pochampally were regular in our fashion vocabulary. After I
got married to Rajnish, I gravitated to handloom saris and decided I wanted to
concentrate in working with them as there is nothing special than the heritage
weaves of India,” says Nidhi.
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Artist Mithu Sen |
For the last 18 years she has been
travelling to the interiors of Kutch, Bhuj, central and south India to delve
into the art of the weavers, suggesting patterns and motifs to modernise the
vocabulary of the weave designers. Nidhi is involved in restoring and
recreating real zardozi embroidery in silver. “These restored zardozi
embroidery are then dexterously used on handloom fabric. This is the special
point of our bridal wear. We also work on how beautifully an ethnic weave can
be teamed with an embroidered velvet shawl. For me it’s all about the
amalgamation of different traditional weaves and fabrics. You can wear an upada
sari with a banarasi blouse embroidered with a Rajasthani gota border,” says
the designer.
For Nidhi, her saris become even more
beautiful when draped by women of substance. “I’d rather have women who are
fond of wearing saris wear my creations rather than those who flaunt the size
zero frame. The women should be one with my saris and revel in the rich
heritage weave,” says the artist whose works have been donned by Kathak
exponent Shobhna
Narayan, artists Mithu Sen and Seema Kohli, diplomats Jaya
Jaitley and Vaani Tripathi.
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Artist Seema Kohli |
Keen on creating quality rather than
churning out mediocre quantity, the designer takes two significant weaves every
year and works on them. For instance, last year she created stunning saris with
the Upada weaves and the Jamnagar Bandhej. This year the focus is on Kota Doria
and Banarasis. “I have always been very proud of the cultural heritage of our
country and involuntarily gravitate towards it. The weaves denote the rich history
of our country and there’s nothing timeless than those pieces of art. Even when
I collect art and work with artists for my gallery, I seek out the Indianess in
the works.”
Did we hear art? Yes, the textile
designer has a passion for that, too. But that again is a different story for a
different time altogether…
Wow sharmi.. After reading this article I am in love with you .I love to wear saree often but not discovered words like you did
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