A Rajasthan native, Chinar Farooqui was intrigued by the rich heritage and handicrafts the state has to offer, leading her to pursue her education in textile design. It was during her studies and travel to various regions like Kutch and Ladakh where she was sensitised to the indigenous crafts and organic dyeing techniques. This only accelerated her interest in the textile field and resulted in the birth of her label, Injiri in 2009. Till today, the label continues to seek influences from Indian craftsmanship and native dresses of the local inhabitants of Indian regions.
For its latest Fall/Winter collection, Injiri continues to experiment with folk dressing and takes it a notch higher. Titled Shekhawati, the collection is inspired by the rich cultural history and architecture of one of India’s seats of civilisation, Shekhawati.
Ditching the usual muted and dark tones as seen in the previous collections, the silhouettes feature colour blocking with predominant bright tones of green, yellow, pink and blue. Peasant dresses, long skirts, light jackets and scarves in Merino-washed wool from Gujarat, Pashmina from Kashmir, Bandhani of Kutch, Pochampally from Andhra Pradesh, and rich, luminous silks define the lineup.
Explaining the story behind her upcoming clothing range, Chinar says, “After a year of being locked in our houses, I wanted to work with colours as an idea to create beauty. Colours are abstract but so effective in the emotions they create for us—that’s how Shekhwati was conceptualised. As artists and designers, colour is a very strong tool that allows us to work with how we perceive beauty. When I look back at the collection I find that my work is influenced by the visual aesthetics of Gujarat and Rajasthan, both states where I have spent a major part of my life.”
“As a brand, we work closely with handloom weavers across various parts of India. Our design stories start with curating and studying old pieces of textiles which showcase the crafts as its purest forms. We continue to work with the same set of weavers season after season as the connectedness and sustaining of these relationships is our core philosophy,” she further adds.
The deep-rooted influence of Rajasthan is evident in its visual representation. Shot across the historical expanse of Shekhawati that earlier displayed wall frescoes inside and outside homes, temples and step-wells between the 17th and 19th century, is now a semi-arid region. The collection acts as the same colourful murals it once housed and brings the desert to life with its vibrancy.
Here are some more looks we love from the upcoming collection, which will be available globally from September 2021 and in India from October 2021 at Ensemble.
