The Pen Art of the Kalamkari – Famous Hand Work of South India

An ancient Indian art from South India that originated about 3000 years ago and derives its name from Kalam meaning Pen, and Kari meaning work, literally meaning Pen-work, Kalamkari art is nothing but tales narrated by artists in the form of vibrant illustrations on fabric, thus bringing them out alive! A slow and vigorous process that is painstakingly done with perfect, Kalamkari fabrics are created in seventeen steps, using only natural dyes, with numerous washes. Typically, the motifs capture the essence of temple architecture and scenes from great epics. Kalahasti & Masulipatnam located in Andhra Pradesh in south India are famous for this art form. Vibrant and full of life, this art form is an integral part of an Indian woman’s closet, her accessories box and even her footwear cabinet! Today, we bring you few of the ways in which it can adorn yours:

Wearing many a hand-painted Kalamkari sarees, Vidya Balan has pretty much been the brand ambassador of this vibrant art. The most popular way of adorning this effervescent art that oozes color is in the form of six yards.

Kalamkari print blouses in smart cuts and beautiful necks right from high necks to boat galas are a rage today. Pair them up with a plain dashing saree in any fabric be it silk, cotton or even georgette and be sure to hit it off with that cool looks where ever you are go.

Kurtas, Anarkalis, Kurtis or short tops, Kalamkari sets the trend wherever it goes!

Blending east with west are the smart and chic kalamkari long and flared skirts that with their cool indo western looks can be carried at formal occasions as well as cool get-togethers with equal aplomb.

Home furnishing and furnishing industry is buzzing with vibrant kalamkari print sarees right from curtains, cushion covers, wall paintings, table lamps and what not,  boy do they look cool or what!

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Handloom Sarees of India

Reminiscing the rich cultural history of the country and keeping one connected with its roots are Indian Handloom Sarees that hold a special place in our hearts and our wardrobes even today. Portraying many unique aspects of these six-yard legacies are thousands of specialized weavers across the country who by employing millions of looms are weaving magnificent sarees in cotton, silk and other natural fibers.

Each weaving cluster focuses on one unique feature to bring out the beauty of these handloom saree to the fullest while the legendary Banarasi silk sarees showcase Mughal inspired designs in their motifs, the celebratory Kanjeevaram sarees draw inspiration from Dravidian heritage like the inscriptions on their temples the Baluchari silk sarees from the east depict stories from the epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata in threads and Patola sarees from the west indulge in age-old specialized dyeing technique to weave intricate designs. Together they make a fine repertoire of eminent handloom sarees of India whose talent, variety and fine craft are incomparable.

History and Origin of Handlooms:

The handloom industry rolls its carpet back to the ancient times. The very first fragment of Indian handloom was excavated from the parts of Egypt. After that, finely woven and dyed cotton fabrics were found in MohenjoDaro (Indus Valley Civilization). Indian floral prints, dating back to the 18th century A.D were discovered by Sir Aurel Stein in the icy waters of Central Asia. There were some more excavations that speak of the golden history of Indian handlooms. Even the Vedic literature has a mention of Indian weaving. In fact, all evidence show that of all the arts and crafts of India, traditional handloom textiles are probably the oldest.

Regional variants of weave of Indian Handloom Sarees:

There are as many varieties of weaves in India as there people here! The exhaustive list includes pure mulberry silks from Tamil Nadu, textured ahimsa silks from Bihar, ikats from Andhra and Orissa, tie and dye from Gujarat and Rajasthan, jacquards from Uttar Pradesh, Daccai from West Bengal, and phulkari from Punjab; while some weaves specialize in unique dyeing techniques like Bhagalpuri, Bomkai, Bandhej and Patola, some have mastered the art of fabric painting like kalamkari and madhubani, some others showcase their art through colorful threads as their medium like chikankari and kantha while the likes of Banarasi, Kanchipuram and Paithaniindulge in intricate and opulent zari motifs.

Indian handloom sarees from across the many states of the country, with their many varieties and flavors have collected a precious wealth of innovation and have been instrumental in emergence of India as the most richly cultured country.

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Handloom Sarees – 2016 was the year of Handlooms in India

Witnessing a handloom overhaul that included many a handloom fashion weeks, handloom hashtags for a cause, promotion of handloom uniforms by government, big retail shops embracing handlooms, 2016 was surely the year of handloom sarees!

Marking a prominent comeback of yesteryear fashion trends, 2016 fashion saw the tinge of traditional flavor amidst all the metro-bred modern style craze with many a bigwig designers in the fashion industry showcasing their talent through handloom garments and most of all sarees! From Gaurang Shah to Anavila to Sanjay Garg, fashion weeks hosted in 2016 witnessed a lot of these top designers devoting their entire labels to Indian fashion that too in Indian textiles like khadi and linen!

The Indian textile industry underwent a significant revival in the regime of Smriti Irani as the textile minister. From social media campaigns to roping in celebrities to promote handloom wears and encouraging designers to actively collaborate with the textile industry and dedicating entire line of collections to the same, handloom has clearly weaved a large network of lovers from all parts of the country and across all age groups this year. The "selfie with handloom" hashtag campaign run by her garnered much appreciation and support from the entire nation with people's Instagram and Twitter account going all bright and colourful in the handspun attires.

Adding another feather to the cap, the Indian Railway personnel will see a fashion shift with their new uniforms created by renowned designer Ritu Beri in Khadi. An ode to India and its deep-rooted tradition and culture, it is sure to instill a sense of belonging and pride among the staff members.

Big retail brands like Peter England, Biba and Ohfab inspired by the launch of 'India Handloom Brand' by Prime Minister Modi, have collaborated with handloom weavers in remote parts of the country and are selling handlooms under ‘India Handloom Brand’.

All in all, 2016 has shown us that the handloom industry is not just a source of employment for the underprivileged weaving community but is a brand in its own terms that is not simply only winning attention of the masses but also branding country's fashion globally.

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Indian Bridal Sarees – How they are Gaining Popularity Around the World

As Indian weddings, their fanfare and the celebrations attached with them are becoming more and more popular all over the world, the various fun ceremonies and most of all the wedding clothes, especially the Bridal sarees are becoming increasingly popular and are more and more in demand.

Their versatility, their creativity, their opulence and ability to showcase skill and talent without the limitations of stitches and cuts, makes these wedding sarees one of the most gorgeous looking garments on earth that in itself are self-sufficient to make the bride stand out in the crowd and feel special on her D- Day.

Irrespective of size and shape, a woman is made to look absolutely stunning in this six-yard drape that she wraps around herself. Their boundless creativity is what is enticing the world’s best designers to craft Bridal sarees for the would-be brides who are more open to experiment.

Laden in heavy brocade or sequins, stones, beads or kundans, use of lace, net and tissue, heavy thread and real zari embroidery or even painting and printing, sky is the limit to the possibilities in which these designer wedding sarees can presented.

A collection of these wedding sarees may be crafted in different kinds of fabrics like silk, net, crepe, georgette, tissue and most often than not, a combination of them. Put together, they make for some of the finest and most stunning outfits in the world.

Colors also play a major role in making these sarees so popular across the world. Rich hues of red, blue, purple, burgundy, yellow, green and many shades of it make these wedding sarees from India so attractive and desirable.

It is no wonder then that would-be brides across the globe are falling more and more for this Indian outfit and embracing it as theirs!

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The Paithani Sarees Festival at Shivaji Park

With an aim to educate people on the arduous hours and attention to detail that goes into weaving a Paithani saree, New Wave Paithani Festival was hosted in Shivaji Park, Dadar few months back where artists from Yeola that is famed for its paithani sarees weaving demonstrated their talent live by exhibiting over 250 sarees on the occasion.

Considered to be amongst the costliest traditional paithani sarees in India, each and every design in a Paithani saree has a symbolic meaning and is done to the minutest detail. Talking about the symbols, a third generation Yeola-based artist Vinayak Thakkur said, "A Paithani is incomplete without a peacock on it. The variations are vis-à-vis the designs, such as, a peacock in a park, or flying parrots etc. Since attention to detail is foremost in making these sarees, newcomers are given at least six months of training."

Vinayak while sharing the nuances of weaving Paithani sarees such as the time consumed, the technicalities involved, the challenges faced and most of all, the effort required, said that the demand for handloom paithani sarees has been on a decline in the last few years due to availability of duplicate and power loom made sarees. Speaking about the demand for handwoven pure Paithani sarees in the market today, he said, "Earlier there was no particular season for the demand of our sarees, but for the last five to six years, we have good sales only during festive seasons. The major damage in demand is caused by the duplicate sarees available in the market, which are less costly. Even the power loom paithani sarees have taken away majority of our customers."

The making of pure handloom Paithani silk sarees that range anywhere from rs.8,000/- to rs.2.5 lakhs,is a time consuming and back breaking process where weaving even a simple saree takes up to two months, while the one with in tricate complicated designs take at least one and half years with a weaver putting in an average of eight hours a day!

It is for this reason that the number of artists are decreasing in Yeola. For a decent income and a better standard of living, youth there today is moving to cities in look out for more lucrative and high paying jobs.

Speaking about the Paithani Festival held in Mumbai, SannidhaBhide, festival director, said: "The aim of hosting this festival was to make people realise the hard work put in by the artists to weave the silk thread. It is a major source of livelihood. We should value their hard work. Due to high prices we prefer buying power loom sarees, although the original, traditional weaves are only available with these artists."

Shatika is proud to present an exclusive collection of pure handloom Paithani Sarees from Yeola and Paithan that are woven specially by the master weavers. We are happy to contribute in a small way towards encouraging this incredible talent and preventing letting it die a silent death.

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The Finest Bengal Handloom Sarees of India

The rich textile tradition of Bengal that finds a mention in the British Museum website recounting listing a range of fine textiles like the fine muslins, printed chintz, cotton and silk ginghams and embroidered quilts purchased by the East India Company in 1730’s and its rich weaving history of course backdating before that, continues to strive because of periodic efforts by acclaimed designers like Sabyasachi from this region. Today, we take you on a saree trail through the finest Bengal Handloom Sarees of India to help you understand the tough conditions of handloom weavers and weaving societies along with the technical expertise of weavers and the exquisiteness of the weaves.

Here’s a quick overview on the different types of handloom sarees from West Bengal:

Bengal Tant: A cotton handloom saree with a light and airy texture, tant sarees are characterized by a thick border, a decorative pallu and dainty patterns on the body. These saris bear different traditional patterns and motifs with the floral, “buti” and “gamcha” designs dominating the scene. However, these days as the ace designers have brought in a lot of innovation, many geometric and quirky patterns have also become quite famous. Light, bright and transparent, these saris are the most desired in hot and humid climate.

Jamdani: Originally made in Dhaka before partition, a jamdani saree often called ‘dhakai jamdani’ or simply ‘dhakai’, is a feather-light, finely woven saree. Originally woven in pure cotton and muslin, there is a variant in silk and cotton blend today for a rich finish. These sarees are characterized by intricately designed motifs that appear to float on the surface of an almost transparent, ultra-fine fabric, giving it an ethereal look.

Murshidabad silk: Silk sarees that hail from Murshidabad is a district in West Bengal whose history of silk saris backdates to the 18^th century when the East India Company set up two factories to produce silk and is known for weaving silk of very good quality. Fine, light-weight and pure silk, these sarees come in vibrant colors and myriad designs that range from floral to stripes to geometrical and other quirky patterns.

Baluchari: Baluchari sarees from Bengal are one of the most gorgeous silk sarees of the country. Characterised by exotic borders and elaborate pallus that showcase intricate weavings depicting scenes from ancient epics and religious texts, they are sarees that stand out in contrast colored, gold and silver threads against the mute toned silk base of the saree. The most opulent silk sarees, they are apt for special occasions like weddings and religious ceremonies.

Tussar: Although Tussar is produced in many areas in India, more than 40% of it is produced in the Malda district of West Bengal. A more textured one than the cultured mulberry silk, it aids in the making of numerous types of saris in Bengal.It has a natural, pale golden sheen to it and comes in shades of beige, cream, honey and tawny that is often dyed into more vibrant colours. The simple Tussar silks sarees, in traditional Bengali “buti” and “pata” design is famous among women of all ages.

Kantha: Characterized by the 'running stitch', Kantha a style of embroidery that originated in the Bolpur-Santiniketan region of West Bengal is widely used to pattern sarees in all kinds of fabrics. Embroidery done by hand, it uses myriad coloured threads, and can form very elaborate and intricate patterns. The beauty of kantha work is best featured on pure silk and tussar silk sarees.

An ode to the Indian Sarees - Sari 24/7 - Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter’17

Celebrating the 29th edition on the runway, Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter’17 in association with Maybelline New York Autumn Winter 2017 themed around showcasing traditional connotations in a diverse spectrum of modernity by renowned fashion designers, hosted a four-day long fashion extravaganza from March 15 to 18, 2017 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

Celebrating the myriad of indigenous handloom sarees and textiles from across the country, AIFW AW\ ‘17began in all its glory by dedicating the first day to Indian handlooms and textiles. Promising to stay true to Indian ethos, the 71 ace designers of the country paid homage to weavers with the collections that were exquisite and piquant in their own way.

The day concluded with a fetching ode to India’s most loved costume Sari with Vogue India’s Sari 24/7. The celebration of the drape featured over 60 most coveted names from the fashion industry including Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, Anamika Khanna, Anita Dongre, MaliniRamani, Manish Malhotra, Masaba, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Shantanu & Nikhil andTarunTahilianito name a few.

Sari 24/7 showcased the eccentric saris for various times of the day, for women of all age groups. With a gamut of over sixty known designers showcasing under one roof, the collection accented from the traditional to the modern adaptation of sari.

Blues, florals, gold embellishments and gothic – the ramp was covered with imaginative themes of the popular ensemble. From urban interpretations to traditional party-wear versions, the designers brought to ramp a myriad of draping styles for fashion connoisseurs.

Rendering a modern twist to the indigenous handlooms, the designers predict a bright future for home-grown textiles and weaves. “With the resurgence of textile-oriented policies and programs from Make in India to Khadi-focused movements as well as the focus on woven techniques like Benarasi brocades – there is a revival of traditional handlooms and the future looks very promising,” reflects Couturier Anju Modi.

“We constantly try to promote Make in India campaign by PM Shri. Narendra Modiji” user designer duo Hemant and Nandita who believe that doing so will definitely promote Indian artisans and weavers who have already begun to make a mark on the global platform for let’s agree to the fact that “The Indian craftsmanship is probably unparalleled to any in the world!”

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