Cochins hidden gem Shalini James will rivet you with her unconventional aari work as she creates a burly bridge between the truculent North and subtle South.
By Asmita Aggarwal
A new building given a colonial style makeover, with a vintage feel, surrounded by the heady whiff of pepper gardens nearby; an ancient temple that sends in strong spiritual vibes, set in the sleepy village of Cheranalloor! Thats Cochin-based designer Shalini James new address. The first-timer at the Amazon India Fashion Week, SS 16 has a resume overflowing with accomplishments, from a graduation in English literature, to designing from NIFT (Chennai) and a management programme from IIM (Kolkata).
Shalinis father was a civil servant, so she travelled all over the country changing almost 12 schools, but it was her mom who played a major influence in her life. My mom used to run a factory where 60 embroidery karigars worked, so I grew up amidst colour, fabric and patterns. I started frequenting the factory when I was 15 after school, and while I was doing my course in NIFT (1995-98) I ran a small garage studio in the city. So you can say that 75 per cent of my life has gone into infrastructure building rather than what I would have loved—the creative processes, she laughs.
Crafts remains enmeshed in her design ideology and thats why when you see her anagrakha, it will seamlessly amalgamate two ends of a spectrum—-North and South block printing, making a collage of crafts, with a bit of velvet and zari thrown in as an aperitif. When Shalini moved to Cochin, 12 years ago, she was one of the first few to offer prêt; she mixed tradition with hints of modernity in her Sambalpuris, Ikats and even robust North-Eastern borders. Launching her own label by her name at AIFW SS 16, and not showing the Mantra brand, Shalinis journey this time is all about colours. No, not the imperialistic hues, rather this time they have a nationalistic flavour. So you have a gajari, santari, jamuni to a ferozi and haldi, almost 30 shades of India executed in pure breathable cotton, she admits.
But thats not all. She has given aari work a new finish, stripping it off its sheen and dexterously doing it with cotton thread to make it rough and organic. It is a continuation of my Indian by Choice story where the first in this series was inspired by the Civil Disobedience Movement to the next one, a highly androgynous style to now, where I have gone Indian in my story-telling, she says.
Calling contemporary a loosely used word in fashion, her ensembles are rooted in the countrys love for kurtas which you can team up with almost anything. Each step of the way I have redefined myself, whether it was in Chenni or Cochin, but challenges also make the trek interesting and I wouldnt change anything for that experience. But what lessens my woes is that I am systematic, and organised, but sometimes I try to bite more than I can chew, she grins.
Read more from Day 3 #AIFWSS16 on the Amazon.in Blog