Silent Spring
Practising Ahimsa, or non-violence Eri silk became the leitmotif for a Telugu from Hyderabad, Jyoti Reddy, who travelled to the North-East and revived the lost art of caring By Asmita Aggarwal The chances of meeting a Reddy in Assam are more than bleak, but Jyoti not only climbed the hills, literally and metaphorically, but also elevated the living standards of the indigenous tribes there, employing almost 250 languishing artisans. Ereena by Jyoti is a five-year-old brand and works with only sustainable eri silk, which is made through a non-violent process. Here the silkworm is not killed, as the cocoons are open-ended. Almost 17 years ago Jyotis quest for an intelligent fabric took her to Assam, where she met a textile technologist, who told her that we dont need to create one, as Eri silk already exists. What lacks is the awareness. Few know that Eri possesses the softness of cotton, warmth of wool and the sheen of silk. It is also isothermal (warm in winter and cool in summer) and it is this versatility that Jyoti hoped to celebrate. A post-graduate in business studies from Cincinnati, US, she converted a cottage industry making Eri silk, 50 km off Guwahati, into a factory that today employs almost 250 artisans, primarily women, who earlier had looms at home and were not being able to make ends meet. The locals there consider Eri sacred, as it is pure, made with no chemicals thats why Buddhist monks in Nepal and Bhutan wore this, says Jyoti. The designer wanted innovation to be a part of the making of Eri, so where earlier only 5 metres of fabric was attained out of 1 kg of yarn, now 25 metres is produced, organically. Jyoti has worked on different concepts and surface textures —- tie and dye, printing, Bagru, block prints and natural dyes, Ikkat as well as Jamdani. The story behind the name Eri comes from the fact that the silkworm eats castor plant. In the local language Eri is called Eranda or Endi, so probably the name is a derivative from a Sanskrit word, she adds. The idea was not just to make silk, but create a lasting social impact, by training families in the North-East and building an industry. It was almost 30 years ago that I got interested in textiles, but marriage took me to the US, and I had two babies to look after, so it became impossible to work. My interest in art and textiles grew so I would visit trade shows, and there I met a technologist in Frankfurt, who told me the world today doesnt need any fabric, but a thinking one, so my quest began, she smiles. She did find what she was looking for and till today carries samples in her bag as she confesses that all what she learnt in three decades, is through back breaking field work. Dilip Baruah, my partner invited me to look at Eri and then as they proverbially say, there was no looking back 17 years ago, she admits. What Jyoti had done is added value to the yarn, by introducing 64 shades in natural dyes of Eri silk and combining various techniques (Ikkat and Jamdani). Sustainability doesnt need to be dowdy and boring as well as predictable, it can be glamorous and fashion-forward too, she says, adding, My aim is to get young people thinking about the idea of constant consumption and how it is damaging the environment. Having said this I dont think the world can be fully sustainable, but we can urge millennials to make socially responsible choices. The economics major, who grew up in Mumbai, Jyoti admits that her grandson is her inspiration for the latest natural dyes collection. Sustainable is anything that is recycled, reusable and you dont waste raw materials; the goal should be not to create anymore waste. Young people want to wear new things to be popular on social media, it is a race to the finish line. But I tell them be creative and learn how to effectively mix and match rather than buy endlessly, she explains. It is this need to be responsible that won her an invitation to show at the Salvatore Ferragamo museum in Florence, her natural dye Eri silk collection, will be a part of a curation from all over the world. The sad part is that internationally I have got more recognition, but my Eri ikat silk saris have made quite a splash domestically that I sell through the Crafts Council. And I dont get tired of explaining why my saris are expensive when buyers quiz me. I have understood that it is part of the job, she laughs.
The Artist is Absent
It was like a moonlit sonata, bright, with the colour of love red dominating Aneeth Aroras mindscape, as she let winter be warm, cozy, sweet and mindful. By Asmita Aggarwal
Grammar of Ornamentation
Fashion straddles both ideologies-form fitted and anti fit as marathon runner Namrata Joshipura brings back the body con, glowing gown and Siddhartha Tytler adds sequins to a mans boring, black trouser. By Asmita Aggarwal
Men not in Black
Fully loaded with muti-pocketed cargo pants, logos, checks and unapologetically oversized coats, men have embraced colour as graphics and stripes keep them hooked. By Asmita Aggarwal
Hook, line and Sinker
The eyes, they say are the windows to the soul; maybe thats why eyewear is now more than just an accessory, it can make a powerful statement as Indie Eye indulges us with a ride to the kingdom of cool! By Asmita Aggarwal
Das Kapital
Almost 30 years in the business of dressing women, Sonams subtle strength is a testament to good design, as he mixes the old with the new—-brocades with eri silk to create a palette that reverberates with spirituality and displays his commitment to slow fashion. By Asmita Aggarwal
Twin Peaks
In a world that thrives on being connected Shikha Grover and Vinita Adhikari of Ilk a brand moving towards becoming sustainable are urging people to disconnect, one khadi garment at a time By Asmita Aggarwal
The Curated Closet
Celebrity stylist and designer Eshaa Amiin, believes that versatility and wearability is the key to a successful label and that women now dont need body con dresses, but comfort and functionality By Asmita Aggarwal
Sultans of Swing
Its raining men, even though fashion here is more laissez-faire as the belted robe coat is now the new cool and this time rippling muscles were swaddled in lean hoodies with breezy zips appearing everywhere. By Asmita Aggarwal
Flying Carpet
In a world of sequinned everything, Vineet Bahls Qashqai kilims inspired embroideries as well as beaten denims, and jaali work was the untold story of the hippie, in all of us, waiting to be set free. By Asmita Aggarwal