Weavers will share centrestage with top designers at the Rajasthan Heritage Week next month

Khadi may not be getting its due these days by our leading designers but this exquisite handmade and hand spun fabric along with Kota Doria is all set to make a comeback at the upcoming Rajasthan Heritage Week, organised by Rajasthan Government in Jaipur. The best in the business – Bibi Russell, who seeks to make Rajasthani khadi famous worldwide, Ritu Kumar, who has cemented her relationship with weavers, and Abraham & Thakore, known for contemporising traditional fabric will showcase their works during the week. For a change, the spotlight will also be on National Award winning weavers, who would be given an opportunity to showcase their work in the Pink City.
For famed Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell the desert State is a second home. Like in her homeland here too she managed to establish a lasting bond with the craftsmen. This gives her creativity a fresh energy and liberty to give a new vocabulary to the fabric. Bibi along with her two Indian contemporaries were in the Capital’s Bikaner House, where an announcement about the event was made by the Rajasthan government and a short duration fashion show was staged.
Bibi, who has worked with khadi and kota, says, “It was a pleasure working with artisans of Rajasthan. Language is never a barrier while interacting with them. This collection salutes artisan’s yeoman spirit. After this show, I hope they would get access to new markets. India has such a huge market; it has big brands like Prada but it needs a connection between designers and artisans. My dream is to uplift artisans. This time I have given simple cuts, ready to wear jackets, shirts and trousers.”
Quality of khadi differs from one place to another and Bibi, long accustomed to using khadi in Dhaka, found this true. “Sixty per cent of my collection is in Bengali khadi; which is basically very fine material. Khadi in Rajasthan is different. It has a woollen feel. Here, I have used different weights of khadi in preparing semi-formal wear like shirts, pants and jackets,” says Bibi, extra careful about specification of khadi.
David Abraham is using an amalgamation of block printing and khadi. “I have worked in Jodhpur but for the first time I am using Rajasthani khadi in my collection. In Kota doria we have used a mix of silk and cotton. It is fine checks and we have used it in saris and turbans. Rajasthan has a rich vocabulary and we need to bring something new on our plate. We believe in contemporarising things.” Around 35 outfits have been prepared. Work was carried out in cohesion with printers and it required confabulation with those at the helm of affairs.
“Largely, our collection is centred around kurta. Teaming of kurta will be interesting. We will show how kurta can be used with pants and other garments. Modern prints have been used. We will also showcase our skills in using traditional pieces in different ways,” says David.
According to fashion expert Prasad Bidapa, stylist-choreographer who will present the week, the event was long overdue. “Rajasthan has the largest workforce of craftsmen, weavers, printers. The State Government is making a concerted effort to create employment avenues. Here weavers will be celebrated; they will be on par with designers. Printers and weavers will be showcasing their individual collections celebrating thousand-year old handloom tradition. Designers who procure material from different corners of the world without discovering their own root are nothing more than tailors. I would like brands like H&M, Zara and Pantaloons to have a section reserved exclusively for khadi in their outlets. For too long, khadi had been relegated to the backburner. It is high time to make the world know that khadi is the fabric of the future.”
Kota doria, woven on a traditional pit loom, is known for its check patterns on the fabric. A lot of care goes into its preparation. “It is light silk and is used in the making of safas. It is transparent but is strong. It can be used in preparing evening dresses for French labels,” observes Prasad.