Fashion, accessory and jewellery designers are bringing tribal Indian techniques to the mainstream: “Tribal India was never cooler”

How the textiles and techniques of our native people are entering mainstream fashion and global ramps.

Tribal India was never cooler.

While a small bunch of revivalist desi designers are modernising rural textiles from the subcontinent, international labels and celebrities can’t get enough of our heritage weaves and patterns. Whether through Ikat printed pants on Hollywood actress Jessica Alba, Rajasthani bangles adorning the arms of models at Paris Fashion Week, a Warli print mini dress at fashion week in Mumbai, the intricate embroidery on a red carpet dress worn by British popstar Jessie J, a slice of tribal India is peeking through every corner of the world. […]

Meanwhile, a host of fashion, accessory and jewellery designers from India are bringing tribal Indian techniques -usually from their native lands -to the mainstream. In the process, they also imbibe ecofriendly modes and support weavers and craftsmen. Jewellery designer Suhani Pittie from Hyderabad is fascinated by their `faith in life and in the elements around them’.

She uses copper as the crux of her pieces since it was one of the earliest metals used by man. “They worship things as basic as rocks and metals, and as heavenly as the earth and sky. For them, jewellery is a way of worship.” Adds Hyderabad based revival ist Gaurang Shah, “The idea today is to bring an element of surprise through a splash of colours, unusual pairing (like Kalamkari and Jamdani textiles together in one outfit) or an edgy design.” […]

Gond: Traditionally from Madhya Pradesh, Gond art features motifs of various animals and flowers. It comes from the paintings of prosperous symbols that people of the Gondi tribe would make on the walls of their homes. […]

Source: “Tribal India on the world map” by Kasmin Fernandes, The Times of India 23 October 2014
Address : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/designers/Tribal-India-on-the-world-map/articleshow/44405064.cms
Date Visited: Wed Nov 26 2014 18:01:22 GMT+0100 (CET)

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