A tribute to tradition

Handloom world

As a kid, Sanjay Garg shared a special bond with handmade things. A native of Rajasthan, he grew up among many traditional crafters, to whom he pays tribute through his profession.

A fashion designer credited with the revival of ‘chanderi’ textiles, Sanjay’s philosophy revolves around designing clothes, which he says, “Play a role in transforming the society. They are garments that are a reflection of my attempt to go back to the inherent beauty of hand woven yarns.”

Taking inspiration from the rich history and culture of India, he designs occasional wear garments and saris that are timeless. His label, ‘Sanjay Garg Signature Line’ has a collection of ‘lehengas’, ‘kurtas’, ‘pajamas’ and pants, all woven using traditional clothing techniques.

His new collection, ‘Three Shuttles Collection of Raw Mango Sarees’, consists of silk saris that draw inspiration from the architecture of South India’s temples.

The collection has an overflow of happy pink, which he explains, “The weaves are usually gray and dull. But this collection has a lot of pink, which is eye candy and suits all skin types. It gives a grand look to the elegant saris.”

The collection inculcates the technique of three shuttle weaving, which is characterised by solid borders and tie-dyed ‘pallus’. 

Working closely with the handloom sector for over five years now, he goes back in time and recalls, “My affair with traditional crafts has been a long one and as a kid, I grew up with them. But I studied in a village in Rajasthan and I was unaware of the world outside. I did not know about the courses in fashion. One of my cousins enrolled in a craft college and this, in turn, motivated me to move out of Rajasthan. I then joined NIFT to do a course on textile clothing.”

Today, he works closely with ‘chanderi’ weaves and those from Varanasi and West Bengal. One can also find block-printed works from Akola in his designs.

He talks about reviving the textile industry and says, “Handloom should not be looked at as a subsidy. It is mostly given importance only by the elite of the society, who try and
revive it through some NGO.

This mentality should come to an end and people need to understand that it cannot come
with a cheap tag. There should be more youngsters who openly take to handloom.”
As he promotes occasional wear, he says, “I am trying to challenge the notion that a sari is meant only for the academic few and those of a certain age group. I hope to take small steps towards changing the way we look at luxury and occasional wear.”

He opines that one should not follow trends, instead they should go with the notion ‘Be yourself’. His latest collection will be exhibited at Number 2, Berlie Street, Langford Town on February 27 and 28.