Her organic saris have their own stories to narrate. There is a story behind every motif and colour used. For Vijayalakshmi Nachiar, co-founder and Creative Director of of Ethicus, it is important to explain not only her love for organic cotton which she grows with farmers of South India but also how committed her artisans are when it comes to weaving magic with organic cotton.
“Our saris carry tags with picture of the weaver on it. It also states his/her name and the number of days it took him /her to make it. Other tags inform customers about the eco-friendly project and recognise efforts of cotton farmers. A tag also indicates the design story.
And now Vijayalakshmi is trying to bring in the fluffy fibre into the forefront of sustainable fashion by bringing it into boardrooms, parties and weddings. She is now all set to showcase its three brand new collections of saris at Aga Khan Hall on Mandi House from March 9 to 10.
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Giving an insight into new range of sari, Vijayalakshmi says contemporary saris under All Day Elegance are beautifully coloured and textured to give wearer comfort of organic cotton which has drape of a crepe or georgette. “A range of smart blouses with collars, boat necks, kimono sleeves give this collection a smart look.”
Explaining how the craft of Ajrakh, Bandhani, Kalamkari and Chikankari in her second collection took shape, she says, it was driven by Made by Hand, the brand’s initiative launched last year. “We have combined traditional weaving style of South by weaving traditional temple pallu’s in the Korvai or handpicked style with traditional textile techniques like the Ajrakh prints, tie and dye techniques of Bandhani of Kutch, hand painting style of Kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh and the beautiful hand embroidery technique of Chikankari from Lucknow.”
Ratan, festive brocade saris, is in sheer cotton with gold and silver threads. “The theme chosen was floral and jaals, elaborate borders and butti’s were woven all over the sari. Pastel colours with silver threads and jewel toned colours were used in this collection.”
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The brand ensures that the artisans pass on their skill and knowledge of craft to not only their sons and daughters but also the educated lot. “While textile traditions are passed on from one generation to the other orally across India, we are taking great pains in documenting the entire process of our design development. This includes the process of design development, weave structures, colour documentation, design layouts and loom setting techniques. As a lot of design students intern with us, these records become integral to their research and study of design development. They are then able to visualise new design as they are able to understand available skill sets, loom setting possibilities and thereby a new design direction.”
With Amazon India Fashion Week starting in Delhi next week, Vijayalakshmi has a piece of advice for top notch designers. She says in fashion weeks artisans should be allowed to walk down the ramp along with designers. “This will encourage young artisans to feel pride in what they do. It should not be a one day affair. Designers should do this regularly, every outfit should have a tag outlining the artisans’ name, picture and profile. I hope to see more sustainable fashion at fashion weeks as this is the only way forward,” she sums up.