Korean Hand Embroidery

For the last 7 days I had the opportunity to take a trip to South Korea and visit few of its beautiful cities. As always, I had to find out about sources and kinds of local hand made fabrics. I came across a Museum of Korean embroidery online and had a chance to visit on my last day at Seoul. Although, the museum itself was just a large room showcasing a small collection of embroidered fabrics, it gave little information on any of them. I did happen to buy a book from the museum that was a lot more informative and I hope to find some of these hand crafted textiles in person someday.

Disappointed but not giving up yet, I happened to come across a shop selling hand embroidered accessories called Kukjae Embroidery. The shop was very small but crowded and had very neat and pretty looking embroidery on everything from small hand held mirrors to large purses. Attached are some pics of my purchases. There was a school/workshop near the shop where all these wonderful accessories were made. Unfortunately, it was too late for me to visit the workshop and see some of the hand work in action, but I am glad I found some interesting items at the store. Maybe on my next visit to South Korea I can deep dive into hand crafts from a different culture.

Accesories at Lakme Fashion Week

So continuing my rendezvous with Lakme Fashion week, I had the opportunity to check out some of the best accessories I have seen in a while. From gorgeous clutches to funky jewelry, the shows definitely took the use of accessories to a different level. Check out my purchases from two designers- Eina Ahluwalia and Suhani Pittie. Eina used a creative combination of cloth and sterling silver, while Suhani played with metal in funky ways.

More photos and descriptions on www.lakmefashionweek.co.in

Lakme Fashion Week- Mumbai

Lakme Fashion week is one of the biggest events in the fashion world in Mumbai. The status, glitz, and glamor is so integral to this event, that it attracts big fashion names and Bollywood stars to participate. This time, I had the opportunity to be an observer at a few events.

My first day, I watched the Summer/Spring collections of Abdul Halder and Digvijay Singh. Both had very different styles, Halder was all about the traditional Indian clothing and bling that goes with it, while DigVijay Singh used muted colors and complex drapings. Halder showcased mainly bridal couture but also showed intricate jackets and skirts. It was all about the bright embroidery and zari work that is such an attraction for Indian consumers. Personally, this was not my style which is more simplistic. Digvijay Singh's collection was more modern and had used natural dyes to create the beautiful colors. In spite of the modern allure such as dresses, jackets and various elements- the clothing still had a very traditional base. As was seen throughout the Fashion week, Bollywood show stoppers was another common theme that designers used for publicity. It distracted me from the garments but definitely provided higher status in the media coverage. All in all, it was obviously geared for Indian markets and for a western consumer the complexity of the clothing is not very practical.

Attached are some of my favorite looks. You can check out more photos and details at www.lakmefashionweek.co.in

The Non profit world (NGO)

On my travels to various artisans, especially in the state of Gujarat, I had to interact with the non-profit or as its known in India the NGO (non-government organization) world. The non-profit and artisan world intersect in various ways which is important for people trying to find or source artisans.

Some non profits handle everything for the artisans from marketing, manufacturing to providing for families. Shrujan and Kalaraksha are such examples. Both are in Kutch, Gujarat and both specialize in embroidered finished clothing and accessories. Shrujan has been working with the artisans for over 30 years and provides all kinds of perks such as transportation, food and even education for the children. They have developed the skill sets of various artisans to match high retail standards and helped gain good footing within India. The downside is that they do not allow direct interaction with the artisans in any way and control all outputs per their designs and direction. The retail store was extremely expensive and I found it hard to believe that they could actually sell large quantities at such high prices. Kalaraksha on the other hand insisted that anyone trying to source through them had to employ not only artisans that do embroidery, but also their workshop that created finished garments and accessories. For someone trying to create western clothing, this is daunting because the skill sets in the villages to create western attire is very limited. In spite of these cons the loyalty that the artisans have towards both organizations is very strong and no amount of money or fame would motivate them to leave. I experiences this first hand when the Soof embroidery artisan that I visited informed me that she cannot take up any external work unless she has free time from Kalaraksha.

There are other organizations such as Khamir, Qasab in Kutch and Pradhan in Bhagalpur that take a different approach. They want to empower their artisans to work directly with designers or fabric merchants. They will still act as middlemen to ensure timely and quality deliveries, but their work is more to push their artisans forward and not only their work. Attached is a video taken at Khamir where some of the weavers were working. They have even collaborated with designers in Europe to create recycled plastic mats and bags which is the innovative aspect that economically boosts people in the area.

What to expect while buying artisan fabrics?

1) Customized look- each artisan interprets the design, fabric per their perception. It is almost impossible to find 2 designs given to 2 artisans look the same. There is usually some variation ranging from minor differences in hand woven to major differences in embroidery. This results in clothing that showcases the differences in human perception and creativity beautifully.

2) More than a materialistic addition to our daily lives. Artisans spend anywhere from few days to a year or so dedicated to creating their art. There is a connection that is unique and one that they carry with them forever. Some of them have spent a lifetime protecting their art such as Rogan, which was at risk of being extinct during partition. Being a conscious consumer will provide more richness and depth to the concept of buying.

3) A learning tool to understand rural India and the history that has passed through. A lot of the art is being created by women who put in details about their struggles and daily lives. Some of the motifs, such as in Kantha, are hundreds of years old and continue to be created in order to uphold tradition and to ensure the stories of these women are not lost.

4) Proliferating the art which is being lost in our fast world. In the age of powerlooms and fast paced manufacturing, hand weaving is fast declining and has a potential of being lost forever. Currently, Banaras has seen over 50% of its weaver population lose its craftsmanship because of the power loom threats and the economic instability of the handicraft.

5) Ethical and economic aspects. There are 220 thousand handlooms still existent in India today and they support the livelihood of a million or more. Ethically and consciously keeping this art alive preserves not only history, but helps all the artisans get economically stronger.

These are some of my perceptions and I hope to create awareness so that everyone can be empowered to consume ethically and consciously. Let me know some of your, if any.
In the meantime, enjoy some of the faces that are behind these beautiful arts.