He has a number of achievements to his name: one of India's top 10 designers, an accomplished chef, a mentor, a revivalist. And now, Wendell Rodricks will also be an author. His book, Moda Goa: History and Style , is all set to release at the Jaipur Literature Festival on Monday.
Rodricks weaves a rich tapestry of history, clothing and passionate prose, while documenting the rich history of Goan costumes. The collection is full of photographs and illustrations that bring the subject to life. He charts the earliest form of clothing, making note of the Buddhist drapes that carried forward the elaborate style of later Hindu costume, the fine brocade coats of the Muslim Tughlaq rulers and the Portuguese invaders who had to improvise and alter their traditional Renaissance style to suit the hot Konkan climate. Rodricks also studies the western style dresses of the newly converted Goan Catholics.
The book explores an archive that has never been researched before, and the history of Goan costume charts out not only its own history, but that of the state as well. Rodricks is the first person to place this history in the spotlight.
Through illustrations by European travellers, a wealth of photographs by Mark Sequeira and India's finest fashion photographers, and access to the fine clothing and jewellery of Goans, Rodricks transports the readers to the beauty and backwaters of India's golden state. Eleven years of research on Goan costumes have resulted in Moda Goa , a book that brings to a head everything Rodricks has worked towards, his talent as a designer, his passion for clothes and style, and his love for Goa and its heritage.
Bottomline: A rich tapestry of history, clothing and passionate prose.
Moda Goa: History and Style; Wendell Rodericks, HarperCollins, price not stated.
