A lot more than social responsibility

During the Sustainable Fashion and Indian Textile Day at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Summer Resort 2016, designers like Wendell Rodricks, Swati Kalsi, Paromita Banerjee, Anita Dongre, Mrinalini Chandra and Gaurav Jai Gupta came together to showcase their collection of eco-friendly and sustainable fashion.

The day covered key values of sustainability, along with celebrating the rich heritage of handwoven luxury and contemporary aesthetic work in Indian handlooms and textiles.

“Sustainable fashion is a lot more than a mere social responsibility. It is a movement, a passionate cause towards environment-friendly fashion,” said ace designer Anita Dongre.
According to her, the need for sustainable fashion is growing with time.

“The crafts industry is dying every day. Some of our best artisans and craftsmen who have been weaving magic are giving up on their craft. It is our responsibility to restore our heritage and culture by means of fashion,” Dongre told Metrolife.

Her SS’16 collection featured techniques like kantha, tie and dye, mirror works, chikankari, block printing, phulkari, bhujodi, ahir embroidery, and ikat. Light summery fabrics like muslin,
khadi, and hand-spun cotton; natural dyes, and an earthy colour palette (with lots of greys, ecrus, peaches, whites) were used for the line.

Commenting further on the need of sustainable fashion, she said, “The aim is to put a spotlight on the craft and weaving tradition, and bring it centre stage so that it finds a place in contemporary India and global platforms. By collaborating with the artisans, craftsmen and weavers, we will appeal to the fashion and socially-conscious people of India and globally, to help revive this glorious tradition.”

Alongside, designers also said that this development helps weavers and craftsmen to have better livelihoods and earn pride and dignity.

As designer Payal Khandwala mentioned, “As buyers, one must be mindful of what we encourage in the name of fashion.

“The effects of fast fashion and cheap labour can be harmful to us and the environment. Sustainable fashion tries to put systems in place that focus on slow fashion. Buying more and disposing more puts tremendous pressure on our delicate ecosystem and we must be aware of the irreversible damage that this causes.”

Likewise was her SS ’16 collection which she claimed to have been created ensuring no wastage. “We used several fabrics in shapes of squares and rectangles and have also used one half of a diagonally cut square textile as part of the next garment. With accessories, we have used brass in empty spaces, like a circle cut out of a square which has been used in a different accessory,” she explained.

Designer Swati Vijaivargie showcased a collection with motifs, colours, textures and details derived from antique chintz of India. The silhouettes were inspired from the traditional textiles like abayas, chogas and pyjamas. The key element of the collection lies in the development of the textiles using techniques like applique, patchwork, aari embroidery and shibori. “The collection draws inspiration from the intricate medieval chintz prints to revisit and reinvent the classic floral print. The breezy outfits reflect modern sensibilities, while being true to the essence of the original inspiration,” she said.