All through her childhood, Shilpa Tibrewala used to closely observe her father Ramawatar Agarwal, a textile merchant in Guwahati, seated amidst mounds of silk from all over the country, measuring and checking its quality.
Silk weaving was something that fascinated her, and later when she got married to a Chennai-based chartered accountant, and moved here 20 years ago, she took up painting as a hobby, but never lost touch with her passion for textiles, by designing her outfits herself.
“While I was teaching art to kids at a school in Anna Nagar, the parents used to request me to design outfits and blouses for them, and that is when I set up my first unit in the first floor of my house, a few years ago,” says Tibrewala, who then started exhibiting her collection a couple of times a year. Artt n Attire, a showroom for exclusive hand-woven silks, is her dream come true.
“Travelling to different weavers’ locations and choosing yardage and exclusive saris is my passion, and I am thankful to my father for initiating and motivating me to set up my shop in Chennai,” says Tibrewala.
“Being an art lover, I sell what I like, so I stock hand-picked collections. Basically, my idea is to combine traditional weaving with contemporary designs, and also focus on natural dye. Presently, it is fusion that is trending,” she says.
By fusion, she means blending two different weaving styles. For example, an ikkat sari with a Kanjeevaram border, or a Benares silk with a Paithani border.
Tibrewala curates handcrafted saris and fabrics from Varanasi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Silks from all over the country in subtle shades line the shelves. Muga tussar (combination of muga and tussar yarn) comes in resplendent colours; the antique georgettes come in lighter shades.
Currently, it is linen dress material sets and saris that are moving fast off their shelves. “Yardage with intricate weaving is my USP. In such fabric, we try not to overdo the embellishments or embroidery, but I design salwar suits and blouses artistically,” says Tibrewala.
Dupion silk (with artistic motifs) is best for making blouses, she says, adding that not only is the fall and sheen good, it can also be dyed in whichever colour the customer requires.
Artt n Attire also brings exclusive silk dupattas and lehanga sets in silk and bandhini. “We also specialise in bridal trousseau,” she says.