Adding Gond, Warli art, making motifs quirky, weaving magic in handloom clusters of Vidarbha, Shruti Sancheti gives Khadi a new spin to serenade Gen Z with her pret label Across 29.
By Asmita Aggarwal
When Grammy winning pianist Charu Suri (Shayan, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, known for blending Indian raagas with jazz) decided to wear Indian handicrafts, it was a hurrah moment as the trench style jacket in Maheshwari silk and tissue was a winner.
The beauty of it was techniques used, jacquard, aari, dabka to Resham. In the business of fashion for the last 15 years, Nagpur-based Shruti Sancheti, says the style was Anarkali that resembled a gown, as Charu is from Central India, she added temple borders in Kosa silk that reminded her what her dad gave her mother (she is a Marathi mixed with South Indian roots).
“Charu flew me down to Los Angeles, I styled her along with Suhani Pittie jewellery, I used a simple weave, added block prints to insides of the jacket—used Kutch karigiri, Kashmiri stitches, she wanted to look her age not like a fashionista. She depended on me as her fashion acumen was limited but she was sure she wanted to take heritage with her on a global stage, explains Shruti.
Showing at the FDCI X LFW khadi showcase, she admits Gen Z associates khadi with a coarse, slubby fabric, mostly for older women, but with better treatments, they have observed it is more fluid, can be made up to 200 counts. “I don’t think Gen Z cares about virtues of Khadi, cool in summer and warm in winter, but the Japanese buyers loved it, so we decided to talk to them in their language—of separates, structured jackets not predictable saris,” she adds.
There are many techniques—Nasi, silk or cotton from handloom clusters in Vidarbha, Maharashtra to Geech, or Geech Dana Bandhej, from Rajasthan, she has crafted within the line, working with Dhapewada cluster 20 kms from Nagpur. Her mul-mul cotton comes from Sausar, Lodhikheda, and Mohgaon handloom cluster in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. “Koshti sub-caste of Hindus, specialized in weaving Magtha, patterned borders using Dobby,” she explains. Today there are 7000 weaving families, but only less than 500 families are weaving.
Shruti recently launched her pret brand “Across 29” hoping to represent crafts from the 29 states of India, done in textiles, as separates for a younger audience, including the Nagpur check and stripes, more international in its appeal, thinner, originally only restricted to saris, now she has made trousers and shirts. “We did a test drive of it in Paris and were pleasantly surprised at the response,” she smiles. She added Gond and Warli art, but not in its traditional format of women making rangoli, but quirky motifs like dolls walking dogs with sunglasses, or a tiger driving a scooter, she has taken creative liberties to serenade those who are disconnected from textiles.
Her book “Weaves of Vidarbha” encapsulates the stories, and tales of the artisans, and their forgotten craft told through woven wonders. In hues of moss green, ivory, charcoal, you can mix, and match the wrap skirts in textured khadi. “Khadi is really quiet luxury, hand spun, time consuming and built to last,” she concludes.