Rta Kapur Chishti is in Coimbatore with her collection from TaanBaan. Her pop up event, orchestrated by Pookari.com, a Coimbatore-based online fashion accessories portal, is going to be a wealth of information on the beloved sari. It ties in beautifully with the other big exhibition Metaphors... that is already creating a buzz.
About the TaanBaan pop up she is is curating, ShriVyshnavi Annush, founder of Pookari, says, “I’ve been following Rta ji’s label for a few years now. I’ve also had the opportunity to see a few of her saris up close and they are beautiful. The way she picks the most unusual colours to go together is really fabulous. I love Khadi for its sheer luxury and versatility especially in our weather. It’s a fabric that has so much of our country’s history intertwined with it and is a part of our heritage. For me, Khadi symbolises freedom and is, therefore, special. It is relevant and will always remain so and I’m proud to wear it on most occasions.”
Besides saris, dupattas, stoles and blouse pieces, visitors will also get a chance to pick up Rta’s seminal work, Saris: Tradition and Beyond. And perhaps ask her about how that came about. The book is a documentation of two decades of legwork travelling India and collecting valuable data. It is also great way to learn more about some of the saris that hang in your wardrobe, their history, where they were woven, what is the distinguishing characteristics of each one and so on.
Speaking about the actual collection that will be shown, Rta says it is a mix of pure Khadi and silks, handspun and handwoven. “Dyed silk warp and ambar charkha Khadi weft with pure silk borders,” is how she describes them. The Khadis are high end and, in case one does not want to spend so much on cotton, she also brings Karnataka silks woven by Benarsi weavers. “The zari is made by hand too in Benaras,” she explains.
Rta will be at the pop-up to explain all you may want to know about handlooms or the present collection. She and her team will also share tips on comfortable yet elegant ways of draping a sari.
TaanBaan pop up
January 21; 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
15, GD Street, Race Course
9944537511 for details