LFW conducts workshop on richness of Indian textiles

The panel comprised pioneer of revivalist of Indian Textiles Padmashri Ritu Kumar, Sangita Kathiwada from Melangé and Gaurav Mahajan from the well-known retail chain Westside Moderated by Parmesh Shahani, Head - Godrej India Culture Lab, the panelists discussed the rise, fall and revival of traditional Indian fabrics and how they could be retailed in the country and abroad.

Ritu Kumar was asked to share her experiences of archiving these Indian crafts as well as her personal take on her journey.

The designer and industry veteran stated that India needed to be a confident country as it is the only country in the world with a rich and varied historic base in the textile industry where people not only treat this fine art as an expression of creativity but also as a means of livelihood that has also helped to develop and master this tradition.

She also noted that in a mechanical age where one simply produces with the surplus of companies within the fashion world, in India a sense of respect and responsibility towards these skills still remains and the country has a history of customizing. “We come from a base which is the richest in the world, and should use this resource and must absorb what we produce,” stated Ms Kumar. 

This has made India the leading country in the world for the export of fabrics. Patterning on cotton, the designer also noted, was a specialty seen within the country. She also pointed out the fact that over 16 million people base their lives around these crafts, thus making them ‘living crafts’. “We should create from our indigenous route a new “fashion handwriting” and deal with our heritage with confidence.” Ritu stated.

Sangita Kathiwala then took over to discuss documentation as well as the subject of how to bridge the gap between intellectual fashion and buyers. She explained that although ‘commerce’ is a word scorned upon by the fashion industry, it is in fact very vital for its existence.

She added that it is a challenge to bridge the gap between the ‘intellectual’ and user side of fashion. She noted that it is the responsibility on the consumer’s part which drives the fashion industry and in this case, the need for Indian textiles.

Furthermore, the need to express one’s self in fashion as a designer requires a way to conform to the values of the consumer to better appeal to them, while at the same time opening the buyers to a ‘new world’.

Gaurav Mahajan then continued to discuss organized retail, comparing the brand Zara with Westside. He explained the study of trends and the usage within his own company to offer the consumer exactly what they want. Rebalancing both Indian textiles as well as western concepts, he stated that in the future more and more people will appreciate Indian heritage and craft traditions as versatility springs from adaptation.