Traditions for the next gen

September 29, 2016 04:34 pm | Updated November 01, 2016 09:46 pm IST

It may be Kalamkaris, ikats and handlooms again, but a host of designers are using traditional crafts to create contemporary chic in clothes and jewellery

Nandhitha Ramesh shows off her creations Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

Nandhitha Ramesh shows off her creations Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

Fashion and design are the current buzzwords in the city with pop-up shows being held on a regular basis. Designers, well-known and upcoming, have been showcasing their works here with much success. Whether its clothes, accessories or jewellery, Coimbatoreans have been proudly showing off their style sense.

I was thinking of this, as I entered Vibha Hall at the Grand Regent Hotel yesterday for the one-day show curated by Sangeetha Peter showcasing Nandhitha Ramesh’s Turquoise line of Indo-Western wear; Sara Kaiser’s hand-painted saris and Divya Bhasin’s jewellery line. Bright lights, bright colours and bright people…. That’s my first impression. “This is mainly for the festive season,” said Sangeetha.

Nandhitha’s creations for Turquoise are strikingly different from her Merasal line. The common factor between the two is the use of handlooms like Ikat and Kalamkari but the cuts and styles are a world apart. “That’s because, for Merasal, I start with the printing on fabric. For Turquoise, I source the fabric — printed or otherwise — and then work on the detailing.”

For this show, she has introduced the dhoti-sari and the skirt-sari. The first resembles a jumpsuit with a pallu; while the second is a long gown again with a pallu. One has a kalamkari image sewn onto the shoulder. Her line includes palazzo sets with asymmetrical tops in silk, cotton, and other fabrics.

I watched as a young girl vacillated between two sets. Her mother, to whom she appealed for help, flatly refused to get involved. Nandhitha gently offers advice on what would suit.

Another lady wanted an outfit in another print. Nandhitha scrunches up her brow, as she tries to remember if she has enough fabric left.

Given how busy Nandhitha is, I move on to Sara Kaier’s hand-painted saris. Sara graduated in Fine Arts from Chennai’s Stella Maris College and also did a specialised course in Textile Design from Delhi. With the sari as her canvas, she paints scenes from nature, village life and temple architecture on to Chanderis, silks and cottons.

Once she fixes on the sari, she decides whether the image will appear on the pallu, the pleats or on the body.

“I source my saris from specific wholesale dealers. I get the plain ones before they’re sent for printing,” says Sara. Sometimes the saris have a printed pallu, in which case “I pair it with a floral painted blouse.”

Florals tend to work anywhere, she says. Images like murals and nature scenes have to appear on the pallu since only there does she have enough room to spread herself.

The images either come out of her head or are adapted from something she’s seen. “If it’s floral, I can start painting straight away,” she laughs. “I don’t even need a pencil sketch first.” Once she gets the basic image down, she uses silk and fabric paint.

Can she erase a mistake? Her eyes widen in horror; she shudders. Obviously no second chances.

Her line at the show was a mix of florals, murals and scenery. A grey sari with a pagoda set in serene surroundings took my fancy. Another lady was exclaiming over a bright blue with a peacock motif.

Divya Bhasin’s jewellery line was also a big hit. Interested in jewellery right from childhood, Divya went on to study at the Gemmological Institute of America. Back in India, she began to design contemporary jewellery.

She is involved in every aspect of her work from sourcing the stones, to creating designs and ensuring the finish on the final product. That her work was eye-catching was obvious; a toddler reached out to grab a necklace. There was a line for the mirror as women and young girls tried to check the effect of individual pieces.

Why was this restricted to a single day? “In July we did a two-day show for Nandhitha’s Merasal line and she was sold out in a day,” she smiles. Nandhitha also pitches in, “I’m working on another collection. So I wasn’t sure if I could cope with two days.”

Sangeetha hopes to bring another show in a couple of months, which will showcase more traditional stuff. “Pongal is more traditional that Diwali,” she smiled.

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