The colours of Onam are as much about the cream and gold of Kerala handlooms as they are about the reds and yellows, pinks and whites of the pookkalams, the ubiquitous floral carpets of the season. Indeed, the hand-woven cotton weaves in that distinctive cream colour, accentuated with borders made of gold thread, have become one of Kerala’s instantly recognisable exports, a favourite showstopper of fashionistas of the likes of Deepika Padukone, Asin, Nayanthara, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha and the Bachchans (all four of them, in fact) as they are with ordinary folk. Of late, designers, local, national and international, are thinking beyond the obvious six yards. They have started seeing it as a fabric and are giving it a contemporary twist. And we don’t mean just jazzing it up with contrasting brocades and blouses, jacquards, embroidery or mural-inspired art to wear for special occasions. Designers are zeroing in on trendy silhouettes, flattering cuts and funky prints that celebrate the modern as much as they do tradition.
“It’s a versatile fabric because very few weaves can match the elegance, the simplicity and, most importantly, the minimalism of Kerala handlooms. It’s an all-weather weave, one that can be worn to all occasions, from weddings and parties to the office and even funerals! It’s pretty much perfect as it is and too much embellishment only kills its sophistication,” says young designer Sreejith Jeevan, whose quirky label, Rouka, which celebrates natural fabrics, is currently hot property on the catwalks. Entrepreneur Shobha Ashwin of Weaver’s Village, which has made a name for itself with its unique takes on Kerala handlooms, adds: “The material and colours of our handloom is such that it is suitable for all ages and all complexions. It is also easy to wear.” Nivya Babu of online custom designer store NVY Studio, agrees and chips in: “Besides, cream and gold is a very popular combination, very classy and unlikely to ever go out of fashion.”
One of the first to recognise the potential of the fabric was celeb designer Rahul Mishra. In his debut collection at the Lakme Fashion Week a handful of years ago, Rahul contrasted simple Kerala cotton with flamboyance of Benarasi silk in reversible dresses, which set a precedent in the fashion world. Others quickly followed and we now see empire-line frocks, sheaths, asymmetrical dresses, wraparounds, shirt dresses, kurtas, kurtis, tunics, shirts pants, shorts, pleated shorts, trench dresses, pin-tuck shirts, peplum shirts, A-line skirts, ghera skirts, jumpsuits, wedding gowns, and what not, all in Kerala cotton. Most of the tailored garments retain the traditional cream and gold (or at least the cream), while some come with silver thread and others are dyed in natural colours. “Western and ethnic wear in handloom cotton literally flies off the shelves these days. Maybe it’s because everyone wants to look different and make an impact even if it’s daily wear,” says Shobha.
Ironically, though, some believe that it’s the very cream and gold that limits Kerala handlooms to a niche in the fashion firmament. Also, designers say that it’s a hard fabric to dye and is again limited by natural dyes, which come in only six shades – black, blue, green, red, yellow and mustard. Actor-designer Poornima Indrajith of Pranaah explains: “There’s a definite charm to it and its one of my favourite fabrics to experiment with. But as a fabric its identity is so strong that eventually all the garments, whether it’s a kurta, skirt or a dress, plain or dyed, it’s all going to look the same.”
Manoj Bisane of fashion label Katha, which takes pride in retailing only natural fabrics in its boutiques across the country, however, believes that handlooms are moving in the right direction in attracting youngsters. “Young people are increasingly looking at eco-friendly lifestyle alternatives and it’s no different when it comes to clothes. Designers now have the task of balancing the contemporary with tradition and giving them something new. For example, designers can highlight the cream and gold colour with ‘retro’ imprints of an autorickshaw, an umbrella, a 20 paisa coin and the like, instead of typical mythological or animal prints,” he says. Time to get trendy.
