Melbourne-based style guru Roopa Pemmaraju will showcase her Aborigine-art-meets-Indian-weaves line at WIFW SS15
By Asmita Aggarwal
Her maternal grandfather was a sculptor and was often commissioned by temples to make idols, and thats from where Bangalore born and Melbourne-based Indian designer Roopa Pemmaraju says, she got her creative genes. Showcasing her line for the first time at WIFW SS15, with the support of theAustralian High Commission and FDCI, Roopas label is a heady jumble of Aboriginal art and Indian aesthetics which can be seen in the way her weaves dovetail vibrancy.
A fine arts graduate from the Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore, Roopa comes from a family of architects, and moved down under seven years ago, not giving up the dream of designing. All our production takes place in Bangalore with my mom as my partner, and the designing is done in Melbourne, says the soon mother-to-be.
After completing her masters in fashion from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Victoria, Roopa launched her label in 2009, marrying her IT engineer husband and leaving India. I create wearable art and it is ethically made; we have this time used Aboriginal painting by artists like Elisa, converted them into prints to be transferred on our shifts, sheaths, maxis and tunics, says Roopa.
The special guests at WIFW will be Brisbane-based Elisa Jane Carmichael, an Ngugi descendant, who lives in a remote area in Australia (Quandamooka people of Moreton Bay, Queensland) known for revering the land and sea of Minjerribah. Her original art comprising dots and lines has been used in my collection and what is the most beautiful part is that it is organic, using deft brushstrokes it captures the thoughts of ideas of the natives of Australia and their deeply spiritual relationship with the planet. They have a way with colour, forms and reverberating motifs, she explains.
When Roopa left India it was the denim and kurta uniform that worked for most women, but on her various trips back, she has discovered that there is a sea change with dresses, evening wear and gowns making a swift entry into burgeoning wardrobes. Thats where we see a big market. As women are ready to experiment, they have taken the proverbial plunge. As my line is ready-to-wear, I have subtle threadwork, a bit of sequins and beads, but the focus is on simplicity with an edge, she adds.
Roopa sources her fabrics from India working with weavers in Varanasi, Maharashtra and Karnataka, as crepes, georgettes, silks and linen remain her focus. I give royalties to Aborigines from the sales of my ensembles, as I feel it is important to preserve and nurture their craft. Showing here, a country of my birth is giving me enormous joy and I think I have come a full circle, she concludes.