Kantha’s homespun charm, characterised by the humble running stitch, can be traced back to the rural women of Bengal. Practical, austere and often celebratory—Kantha, in India is a textile tradition that first appeared in the 18th-19th century. This embroidery technique has strong links to Hindu mythology (it was found in Krishnadas Kaviraj’s 500-year-old book Chaitanya… Continue reading All about the textile tradition Kantha, and the labels that are keeping it alive
For many of us, words like ‘tradition’ and ‘ancient’ spark doubts of archaism instead of trust. But a handful of home decor and lifestyle brands are adeptly balancing present-day sensibilities with time-tested Indian wisdom. How? Think brass martini glasses and terracotta-coated copper goblets that make the old school cool again. So, whether it’s Delhi-based A… Continue reading 10 home decor brands making traditional materials and motifs cool again
Who: Akshat Ghiya founded Tallin in 2016, with a rich knowledge of gemstones acquired via his family. He now interprets it through his brand’s signature designs—stunning custom-cut precious and semi-precious stones. The Jaipur-based designer’s artistic aptitude lies in marrying traditional techniques with modern aesthetics to create handmade jewellery that’s “a collaboration between the piece and the wearer”. … Continue reading Handmade jewellery by Tallin fuses traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design
Rahul Mishra brings his exquisite work to Indelust. The designer is known for merging traditional Indian textiles and embroideries with modern day silhouettes. Indelust’s Sana Rezwan kept the edit simple and refers to them as “investment pieces”. Some styles are pulled straight off the runway, while others have been modified for the Indelust shopper. Either way,… Continue reading Rahul Mishra now available on Indelust
Amit Aggarwal stretched the bindi in unimaginable ways last night at AIFW, at the debut of his ready to wear label AM:IT. He used the remains of the laser cut bindi sheets in his clothes, and added texture in unexpected ways. (In fact, upcycling was a running theme at Abraham & Thakore too.) Aggarwal knows… Continue reading #ELLEReview: AM.IT
A terracotta-hued ramp was the perfect cue of what was to follow – simple, straightforward and grounded fashion. With their Fall/Winter 2015-16 collection, David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore have proved that the conversation surrounding textile and sustainability doesn’t have to be boring or unsexy. They scored old X-rays from AIIMS and used their dark iridescence… Continue reading #ELLEReview: Abraham & Thakore
Not long ago we saw designer Anupama Dayal collaborate with Ekaya, and give us unexpectedly minimal, and pop-coloured Benaresi sarees. And now Archana Rao (of Frou Frou) and Ekaya have teamed up to create an exclusive collection of sarees, that mine the other end of the spectrum – think soft, neutral hues, with bright, swirling… Continue reading Archana Rao x Ekaya
