The Rustle of silk, the
vibrant hues of a Benarasi, the pretty pallu of a Patola... there’s no denying
the charm of a handloom sarees. The #100sareepact may be trending only now but
for Kirron Kher, the love affair with the six yards started many years ago. The
Chandigarh MP has an enviable collection of sarees that includes everything from Kanjeevarams, Patolas, Uppadas to
Maheshwaris and more. On Tuesday, as she stepped into one of the halls at Taj
Chandigarh, it was difficult to take eyes off the Jaamdaani Khadi sarees she
wore, the one with a fine zari border. To the untrained eye, it might have
looked like a print, but only a sarees connoisseur would know that it took the
weaver close to a year to make this one sarees.
“Nothing spells
heritage and tradition more than a handloom sarees. I have always endorsed the sarees.
Nothing matches its elegance,” said Kher. While it has taken Kher years to
curate her personal collection, sourcing handloom sarees from across Indian
states, much of it can be credited to designer Gaurang Shah. A go-to man for
not just traditional sarees but those with unique combinations (think
Kanjeevaram with organza, Lucknowi chikan with Parsi gara embroidery), Shah has
been working with weavers much before “handloom revival” became a trendy
coinage.
“My love affair with sarees
began when I was eight years old and used to help out in my father’s sarees
blouse store,” said Shah who is exhibiting his collection for the first time in
the city. Referring to Kher as his “muse and friend”, Shah said, “I have worked
with her for 15 years and she has an eye for the best sarees.”
Incidentally, most of
the sarees that Kher wore for her show India’s Got Talent were also from Shah’s
stable. “I work with more than 500 weavers across India in the states of Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. I started reviving
the looms when it was unfashionable to do so. Today, handloom is high fashion,”
said Shah.
Floral and geometrics
drawn from nature along with print-like weaving are statement styles of the
designer who has teamed up with Mira Sagar of the label Vaya to take handloom sarees
across India and overseas. “The key to handloom becoming popular again is
contemporisation of the design using traditional techniques. I not only work
with different textures but also bring in brighter hues and colour blocking,”
said Shah who is exhibiting at Taj Chandigarh.
Shah and Sagar have
especially designed a range of dupattas to appeal to the local fashionista. “I
was very keen to come to Punjab. I even sourced antique Phulkaris for my
spring-summer 2015 show. I am looking to visit Patiala as I want to explore
Phulkari next in my sarees,” said Shah.
Working with weavers of
Maheshwar for over 20 years, Sagar is equally passionate about Indian textiles.
“We work directly with the weavers. Thankfully, the tradition of sarees wearing
is on the rise once again and it will generate more work for the weavers who
had till some years ago left the loom,” she said.
Reference : Yahoo News