Cotton and silk ikats from Pochampally and Puttapaka, silks from Gadwal and Narayanpet took centre stage at the fashion and textile showcase organised to celebrate National Handloom Day 2022 at Chitramayee, State Gallery of Art, Hyderabad, on August 7 evening. Actor Tabu turned showstopper for Hyderabad-based textile designer Gaurang Shah’s handloom collection Amogham, showcased in partnership with the department of handlooms and textiles, government of Telangana.
Amogham was crafted with an intent to pay homage to the handwoven textiles of Telangana and in the process, put the spotlight on the clothing of the Nizam era. Gaurang Shah stated that some of the ensembles reflected the ethos of the zenana style of Nizam era clothing one would find at the Chowmahalla Palace.
Tabu’s ensemble comprised a traditional gharara, a short kurta and a dupatta. She was accompanied by 26 models (men and women) who walked the ramp. While the first round showcased saris, ghagras were the highlight of the second round. Men were dressed in traditional kurtas.
Models dressed in handloom saris by textile designer Gaurang Shah | Photo Credit: Ramakrishna G
One of the lehengas caught attention for its traditional Telangana-style cheriyal painting; the tassels used handcrafted Ethikoppaka toys.
The fabric varied from handwoven chiffons to khadi, cotton to silks woven in Telangana. Having worked with weavers over the decades, Gaurang stated that the jamdani techniques showcased in the collection are the handiwork of women from Telangana: “Through multiple projects in the State, several women have been encouraged to sit on a loom and learn the jamdani technique. Telugu women now can weave intricate designs using jamdani, some of which we have featured in the show.” The collection has also made use of Banjara embroidery from Ibrahimpatnam.
The collection Amogham by Gaurang Shah took cues from Nizam-era clothing | Photo Credit: Ramakrishna G
Models took to the ramp as Urdu poetry was recited in the background. The event also witnessed saxophonist Anil Kumar entertaining the guests with old Hindi songs and qawwali by Rajab Ali and group.
