India’s vast resource of diverse ethnic crafts, prints, natural fabrics, dyes etc have enriched our heritage and contributed hugely towards making our fashion designs stand out on the global runways. As a tribute and acknowledgement Newsvision brings for its readers a multipart series about craft traditions of different regions of India, specially written for us by Asha Baxi who, as senior faculty of NIFT has played a huge role in molding the sensibility of our now established designers.

Legacy of Indian Craft Tradition - Bihar

By Asha Baxi

Mithila, Sita’s hometown, Bodh Gaya where Sidhartha truly became Gautam Budha, Nalanda the seat of learning with scholars from far away lands, the glorious kingdom of Magadha with a cosmopolitan Patliputra as its capital city, valiant rulers like Ashok, powerful dynasties like Mauryan and the Guptas. And we are yet only referring to history which dates from probably 5000BC to 4 AD. There followed another two millenniums of various external influences from the Mughal invaders to the British dominance. With a legacy so rich is it any wonder that Bihar is a reserve of many a diverse and exquisite craft and art. Despite the state having become synonymous with despair, most of the arts is still alive though languishing due to lack of patronage.

The most vibrant and well known art of Bihar is Madhubani Painting, which is about use of simple lines and native motifs combined with the art of storytelling with refreshing appeal. It may have developed as a creative respite for women from the mundane household chores in a small village named Madhubani situated in the Mithila region. Painting the walls allows these women to express their fluttering thoughts, perceptions of life, nature and beliefs through rhythmic movements and colour splashes. Traditionally done on mud plastered walls of their humble dwellings to decorate and celebrate, Madhubani painting has come a long way. Satin fabric, cotton cloth, hand made paper and other materials are replacing the traditional base of cow dung/mud plaster which enables this beautiful art form to become a versatile product suitable for contemporary living and interiors.

The modern day Madhubani artist now enjoys a wider audience and increased commerce as designers and interior decorators have used Madhubani style embroidery to adorn apparel and home furnishing products too. Arti Sandhu’s Madhubani inspired illustrations depicting modern day dilemmas of urban life impressed me with their line work, interesting context, humour and pensive expression. This NIFT alumni now teaching fashion in the US said, ‘Madhubani has always appealed to me – as on one hand it is extremely simple in its line quality and naïve motifs, but extremely complex through composition, fineness of detail and the use of line and repetition etc. The combination of storytelling and decorative techniques really appealed to me.”

Today the Madhubani village is abuzz with activity, where young children are taught the art of painting as a matter of pride. There are agencies that connect the artist and consumer and it is possible to get customized themes and motifs painted.

Tussar is the silk native to Bihar and comes from the hilly districts of Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Singhbhum, Palamu, Begusarai Munger, Santhal, Paraganas and Bhagalpur. Although Bhagaplur was on the ancient Silk Route that connected India to China and Europe and was once considered the biggest trade centre of Eastern India, the silk industry here is only about two centuries old. More than 35,000 handloom weavers, with about 25,000 looms, live in Bhagalpur. Around one lakh people are engaged in separating silk threads from cocoons, spinning and weaving. The total value of the trade from only the Bhagalpur clusster is around Rs100 crores annually . Almost 50% of the Silk made in Bhagalpur is exported to West Asia, Europe U.S., and Japan. Although many varieties of tussar are available in Bhagalpur such as tussar-cotton mixes, it is plain tussar made from reeled (not spun) threads that is a preferred base for Kantha(thread embroidery) saris. Today, Tussar fabrics, saris and stoles find buyers in the domestic and export market.

It is heartening to see designer Samant Chauhan who belongs to the state, making special efforts to give back to the society by promoting Bhagalpur silk on fashion forums. He showcased a wide range of Tussar silks in natural colours at the Fashion week. He also participated in the Ethical Fashion Week in Paris, an event organized by like minded activists to address ethical issues related to the textile and apparel industry on an international forum.

Lack of patronage has seen a major degeneration in the condition of the artisan and exploitation for commercial ends has become rampant. Many a local social organizations are involved in capacity building exercise at the grass root level. In the Godda district of Bihar is one such called the Berozgar Mahila Kalyan Sanstha (BMKS) which received financial assistance from the royalties of Gita Mehta’s ‘River Sutra’ through ‘Dastkar’, another Delhi based NGO, to help buy and release 75 bonded women. These women went on to establish more BMKS, with UNDP extended support for procurement of equipment. This society worked to improve the situation of tussar spinners and weavers from Kajrel village focusing mainly on hand spinning and hand weaving using innovative weaving techniques and natural colours. Dastkar provides regular design intervention and up gradation of quality and skills through well designed work shops to help produce a wide range of elegant saris, stoles and fabrics for the contemporary markets. BMKS claims that their sales have gone up by 500% with a turnover of Rs1 crore.

Another local material utilized by the crafts persons of Bihar is the bamboo. Baskets, cups and saucers made from bamboo-strips or cane reed painted in vivid colors are common articles found in Bihari homes. A special container woven out of sikki grass in the north, called "pauti" is given to a bride. Given proper impetus, there are a few other crafts in Bihar that have the potential to develop and grow. One such is the Bihari trademark lacquer bangles, which are yet confined to a cottage industry in the region of Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Madhubani, where the craft has remained confined to simple domestic fire, and roundels of lacquer locally sourced from nearby villages. These bangles in bright neon colours, embellished with pieces of glinting mirrors, brilliant tinsel and painted stripes have a huge market as a hot accessory and a fashion statement for Indofiles.

The creativity of the Bihari women is yet again showcased as they unleash their imagination to create motifs of animals, humans and foliage in lively folk art style, with kantha stitches on saris. Their beauty has created a huge demand and manufacturers are selling stoles, dupattas and yardages embellished with Kantha embroidery in contemporary colour combinations.

Sujini and Khatwa Embroidery is an ingenious way to make quilts in the rural areas. Old fabrics and saris are layered for inner stuffing and colorful threads are used for the running stitch embroidery capturing village and religious scenes. Khatwa is the applique work on decorative tents, canopies, shamianas, displaying Persian style trees, flowers, animals, birds, motifs.

The traditional Bihari applique work for apparel is rather typical with intricate white embroidery or appliqués on contrasting back ground, and simple running stitch used repetitively to create surface texture and patterns with some meandering designs enhanced by raised embroidery stitches, tapes and buttons. Various kinds of cotton-on-muslin, silk-on-muslin and zardozi embroideries are also done. The modern versions are sophisticated with tone on tone colours in diaphanous crisp fabrics.

Patharkatti in Gaya district is the traditional stoneware centre in Bihar. This area supplies in abundance the blue black pot stone from which artisans craft Buddhist icons, images and household articles like the pestle (medicine grinder). Leather craft, Tikuli making and Papier–mache arts and objects are also being recognized and showcased in international and national exhibitions along side the better known crafts.

Even as the traditional crafts of Bihar are undergoing another evolution and are being reinterpreted, the average crafts person is living below the poverty line and is open to exploitation. This affects the quality and design of the product, making it lose out in the competitive environment at bazaars, exhibitions and trade fairs where comparison is unavoidable! Unless concrete steps are taken to support their talent and skills they will loose their competitive edge and we will loose them.

NIFT – Tripura coming up for those in the far east

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) wants to open its branch in Tripura and a communiqué has been sent to Chief Minister Manik Sarkar by Union Textile minister Dayanidhi Maran, asking for land and buildings for the institute. The state government is reportedly wanting the Centre to foot the bill of Rs50 crore towards this.

Tarun Tahiliani’s bridal exposition with Forevermark diamond

Designer Tarun Tahiliani, in association with the De Beers Group diamond brand, Forevermark, created a bridal exposition in New Delhi. The installation was on display at the DLF Emporio Mall from July 18-19, 2009. The jewelry on display was designed by Shrenuj (crafted in precious Forevermark diamonds certified by De Beers) and Venus (a leader in solitaires) showcased Forevermark solitaires. This exposition was based on the display and technique devised at the ‘Costumes of Royal India Exhibition’ held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in the late eighties.

India Fashion Week Saga – Vol II, New Season

The Fashion Weeks in Delhi continue to remain on the boil. Even before the dust could settle with the second split and we could recover from the fatigue of coping with two seasons of two overlapping fashion weeks, a new twist has stirred the brew afresh. Reports of entry of Government body FDPC, subsequent demise of Nair’s Delhi Fashion Federation, FDCI merger etc have been in print back to back but the latest twist post the bold announcement by FDPC of their A/W fashion week sans FDCI has stirred up another controvery. As reported in the HT, FDCI was still working out the logistics of the ongoing negotiations before FDPC jumped the gun. Sunil Sethi, president FDCI said, "I was not in agreement to send the press release in haste when the unification process is still on as it could hamper talks…if it doesn't work out, we will have no choice but to hold an independent fashion week.” Vijay Singh, CEO and Secretary General FDPC reportedly explained, “, "Since the legalities are taking long, we decided to fix the dates as we have to keep international buyers in mind. We will go ahead with FDPC's week, whether anyone is with us or not. If FDCI joins us, we'll have around 130-140 designers but even if they don't, we still have 70 with us."

The retail brand and the designer

The well known retail brands have sought to highlight their product by tying up with designers for their product lines. It must be working well for both as many such collaborations have happened. Puma, the German shoe brand, is known for its association with well known designers such as Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan. Aki Narula is now to design their 2010 collection. The trail blazer among Indian designers was Suneet Varma, who in 2005 designed the signature line for the shirt label Tuscan Verve and is now designing clutches for Leiber. Manish Arora lent his name to Reebok shoes for their Fish Fry line, the cosmetic giant MAC, the watch brand Swatch and Nivea Soft. Shantanu and Nikhil, Anamika Khanna, Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna and Rohit Bal have designed lines for Wills Lifestyle.

Fashion Design student placement sees record high

Finally the job scene is changing for a fashion design student in the country. While initially a fresh graduate could at best hope to apprentice with a well known designer or work for a store, the avenues have widened hugely now. The increased awareness and appreciation for designer clothes has resulted in increased demand, encouraging many a student to strike out on their own. The sundry apparel brands too are recruiting for their own in house team of designers, besides the huge demand from the film and television industry. The first phase of NIFT’s on campus placements that took place early this year saw not only a leap in the number of companies visiting but also a higher average salary packag. The trend was also visible at the other two fashion institutes in the Capital region, Pearl Academy of Fashion and Wigan & Leigh College. Malobika Sengupta, CEO, Wigan and Leigh College (WLC) was reported to have said, "Students this time have had a plethora of options to choose from. Young designers are starting to work with brands earlier than usual."

FDCI planning Van Heusen India Men’s Week in September

Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has put together the plans to hold the Men’s Week in New Delhi from 11th – 13th September. Van Heusen, the leading international brand, has tied up with FDCI to create the annual conclave, lending its name to the event. The event will be co hosted with the new Textile Ministry’s Fashion Design Promotion Council (FDPC) subject to the granting of approval by the FDCI board. Pranab Barua, CEO – Textile & Apparel Business, Madura Garments, Aditya Birla Group said, “Men’s fashion is an area of great interest to Van Heusen, and being the leading player in the market it was the most natural progression to create with FDCI India’s leading men’s fashion event. We are truly excited being part of such a pioneering idea” The three day event will have 15 shows. Sunil Sethi, President FDCI, said that it will also provide a platform for young and upcoming designers.

NIFT bridges diploma to degree divide

In a better-late-than-never initiative, the National Institute of Fashion Technlogy is providing a chance to convert all undergraduate or post graduate diplomas into full fledged degree, to even those alumni who passed out before 2006. Rajiv Takru, DG NIFT was quoted to have said, “Holding a diploma can get in the way if a student wants to pursue higher studies. It doesn’t hold as much value as a degree does, especially if one is considering a change of streams like pursuing an MBA after studying fashion This bridge program is born out of such necessity.” Under this program, the diploma holder will have to undergo a special course for six months in case of Post graduate diplomas and one year for undergraduate diploma holders, the classes for which will be held in the evening. The bridge course will be offered at only seven centers across the country such as, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Gandhinagar However students from any of its centers will qualify. Considering that it was in 2006 that NIFT was allocated the powers to grant degrees by an act of law, Rajeev Takru explained the delay saying, “We have actually compared the degree and diploma syllabi ...Whatever wasn’t taught at their time and all new changes that came with technological advancement will be covered. We are looking at serious value addition.” Prashant Verna of Batch of 2005 differed and said, “I wouldn’t do a bridge course if I had the opportunity because once you step into the fashion industry what really matters is what you have learnt during your student years. Not whether you hold a degree or diploma.”

Scala’s anti-cellulite pants literally cause stampede

The equivalent of the wonder bra, Scala’s Bio-Fir Anti-Cellulite pants claim to have found the way to reduce the orange peel look on derriers of the user. The technology lies in the fabric which contains crystals that warm up on coming in contact with the skin, thereby increase the circulation in the thighs, stomach and bottom resulting in melting or break down of the cellulite causing fat cells. The said underwear, priced at £25 was sold out a second time as women fell over each other to acquire the garment. The trials conducted supported the claims of the manufacturer and nearly 82% lost cellulite whereas all lost inches. The Joh Lewis store has 4000 customers waiting for an email alert on availability and eBay has made them available for up to £60.

Hong Kong Fashion Week- a mix bag of business and casual

The 16th HKTDC Hong Kong Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2010 took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). There was a new group pavilion from Bangladesh along with pavilions from the Chinese mainland, India, Macau and Taiwan. The Chinese mainland’s pavilion was the largest ever at Fashion Week for Spring/Summer, with a record 483 mainland companies participating. They include more than 100 enterprises from the port city of Ningbo, a major commercial hub and one of the mainland’s largest garment production centres. There were two new zones, one for Intimate wear that showcased latest looks in lingerie and night wear, and the other was Brand Name Gallery to represent up coming brands. Other special zones were for Infant and Children’s Wear, Bridal and Evening Wear, Fabrics and Yarn, Fashion Gallery, Sewing Supplies, World of Fashion Accessories and International Fashion Designers’ Showcase, which features more than 100 showcases from cutting-edge designers.

John Varvatos Rock Volume One for men

A limited edition fragrance for men by John Varvatos is supposedly inspired by his love for rock ‘n roll. Naturally, he has named this new offering ‘John Varvatos Rock Volume One’. The fragrance is an intricate blend of rose absolute and coffee with additional notes of fig and coriander. A 120 ml Eau de Toilette bottle is priced at $82. This fragrance was developed by perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. The Rock Volume Two will be released next fall in 2010 and Volume Three in 2011. Will there be a new volume each year after that? We don’t know yet.

London College of Fashion partners Schway for the fashion enthusiast

In a futuristic kind of tieup between London College of Fashion and interactive application Schway, the latest looks of the season by fresh graduates are put up and anyone can log in and tinker around with various combiantion of items, dressing up a mannequin. An older online version of ‘Dress Your Barbie’.

Designer Isaac Mizrahi ties up with QVC Network

Isaac Mizrahia, the american fashion designer and the creative director of Liz Claiborne is now going to design cheescake for the shopping network QVC, where he gets to host his own show called ‘Isaac Mizrahi Live!’. On the show he will be giving his sales pitch on a spectrum of things like cakes to potpurrie besides talking about himself. He already co-hosts he new Bravo series, The Fashion Show, that premiered May 7th, 2009. He is reported to have said that cable home shopping is no different from a trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman.

The Lenzing Textile and Colour Trends forecast for Autumn-Winter 2010/2011 are out. The ecological influences are high and the shades match natural dyes and earth colours. The different moods are grouped under names like Puritan, Reflection, Rugged, Exotic and Identikit. Source: fashiontrendsetter website.

PURITAN

REFLECTION

RUGGED

EXOTIC

IDENTIKIT

In the age of rapid mechanization and high tech advancements it is the artisan who holds the thread of a tradition of ancient skills. Cut away from the mainstream these artisan groups struggle to hold on to what they have inherited and many social groups have come forward to support them. Newsvision introduces its readers to various artisan groups and their crafts in this column.

Budget not supportive of handicraft sector says FHAN

Federation of Handicrafts Association (FHAN) has expressed its displeasure over the government not making any provision for the handicraft sector in its new budget. Shakya, President of FHAN reportedly said, “Just like the previous budgets, there is no thrust on the export front and it is not possible to only rely on remittances and grants from abroad. Malaysia and Thailand had thrived because the country laid an emphasis on the export front rather than countries like Bangladesh and Philippines which chose to depend on remittances from their nationals”. He had expected the budget to have taken view of need for setting up of handicraft villages and also changing the Handicraft Design and Development Centre into a Design Development Academy and promotion of handicraft exports.

Center sponsors Goa’s handicraft display in US and Greece

Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (GHRSSID) has been selected by the Central Government of India to showcase the handicrafts of Goa in two prestigious international trade fairs, the California Gift Fair in Los Angeles from July 17 to July 21, 2009 and Thessaloniki Gift Fair, Greece during September 5 to September 13, 2009, all costs borne by the government. Besides trying to help the local crafts persons, the Center has also taken note that 65% of Indian handicrafts are exported to US and European countries, thereby giving employment to nearly one million people. These exports of Indian handicrafts in fiscal 2008-09 slipped to Rs8,500 crore from the previous year 2007-08 revenue of Rs14,500 crore. Also Goan craft has not been in the limelight. Those crafts that will be displayed are coconut shell craft, carved wooden items, sea shell craft, brassware, terracotta, azulejos tile paintings, fiber idols, banana fibre crafts.

Underpaid embroidery artisans of Lucknow

The exquisite embroideries of Lucknow, Zardozi and Chickenkari, have embellished garments for decades and won global accolade. The artisans, mostly women, have kept the tradition alive by passing on their skills to the next generation. However the meager returns for their labor have pushed these artisans to the brink of penury. Despite major efforts by organization like SEWA, it is time that the wages of these crafts persons be matched with the meteoric rise in cost of living.

Swarovski’s take on nature for it’s A-W 2009/10 jewelry line

Swarovski has translated nature with its elements to construct a collection ‘Nature Reloaded’, through three themes-Reptile Tectonic, Purple Blossom and Enchanted Microcosm. The names of the themes speak for themselves. The line is beautiful and most suitable accessory for the contemporary woman.

Latest ‘cutting edge’ look – shaved eyebrows

The autumn/winter 09 runways showcased a new trend which is catching on very fast. Some of the leading designers had models with bleached no-eyebrow look. Givenchy had Brazilian model Adriana Lima sport the look. The trend quickly spread to other side and many a stunners are opting for the shocking bald look. The New York Times carried a quote from well known make-up artist PatMcGarth who said, “The economic troubles we are facing now open people up to be more daring and willing to don cutting-edge looks.”

An unbridgeable gap?

The fracas within the Indian fashion design community may hog a lot of limelight in the press but is in effect an albatross around the fledgling industry’s neck. The offer of a single platform albeit in a new and yet untested organisation may sound like a panacea. However, even a cursory look below the crust reveals a mind boggling array of fratricidal lobbies, limitless egos and ambitions. Of course, there is also the wise - though in small numbers – and a vast silent majority. The drama has been on for many years. Well wishers hope that this is now the final lap. But is it? The root causes – and there are many – have not been laid to rest. Further, those who would flex their muscles are still ready to do their worst. As such any negotiation and adjustment can at best be temporary. Battle lines will only shift and new platforms will play the old games. The cynic would say - if our politicians and sports bodies can kick around endlessly, why not the designers?