“Arunachal Pradesh is enigmatic in every possible way you eyes can perceive. The people, their landscape, their food habits, their clothing and their gentle demeanour, all bring in the enigma that the culture carries,” says seasoned designer Sandhya Raman. The North Eastern state has virtually become a second home for her as she has been interacting with local weavers over the past two years.
This joint collaboration has yielded a collection. Called “Enigmatic East: from Zero to Infinity”. It brings alive the bold and dramatic hand woven fabrics from Arunachal. Aimed to dress up a global woman, the pret outfits are on display at Atelier, Lado Sarai till January 30.
Organic dinner
Reflecting on her bond with the members of Apatani tribe, Sandhya recalls a traditional dinner she had with them. What worked in her favour was that she was quick in capturing the local accent. “We sat around the central fire in a bamboo house. The head of the family and his wife sat in the centre and cooked food for us. They are fish eaters but for me they made rice, vegetables which they inserted in the bamboo containers. Bamboo gave the dish a smoky flavour and herbs made the meal healthy. It was cooked on slow fire; on the lines of dum pukht,” she adds, while linking this peculiar cooking pattern with her approach to sustainable fashion.
For Sandhya, the dinner was an example of being organic and eco-friendly. And it was in sync with the kind of work she has been doing to give a push to indigenous crafts and revive those on the brink of extinction. This perhaps explains the rationale why Sandhya has joined hands with the Arunachal Pradesh State Weavers Federation as strategic design partner.
“The weaving treasures of Arunachal have to remain pristine and the pride of this tradition has to be experienced. The weavers are multi-talented; they have computer inside their brains! Now, we need to channelise their talent and energy. They need to be torchbearers and train the trainers,” Sandhya, who is also known for dressing up classical dancers for recitals.
Models draped in designer’s outfits
Excerpts:
On working with weavers of Arunachal Pradesh
For two years, I have been reviving lesser known traditional fibres used in weaving and are encouraging craftsman to reintroduce silks, cottons and natural dyes into their fabrics. I am working with traditional fibres of several tribes.
So there is Apatani tribe fabric, Nyishi tribe fabric and Galo tribe fabric. Traditional motifs, which are part of their daily lives, are also there. So we are celebrating tribal fabric. And I am making sure that while the tradition remains alive, my clothes are internationally styled and wearable.
On the collection
I have retained the simplicity of the region in my collection. It’s a mix of bold and minimalistic. The silhouettes are classic and easily wearable, and fit into any age group.
It’s for people who appreciate fine detailed work. It’s not for people who are dictated only by forecast. Right now, I am working with six of the tribes. In the next two years, we hope to see a great change.
On ensuring that the outfits create zero impact on the environment
As a textile revivalist and a designer, it is imperative that we bring to the world our authentic treasures and remain true to the place it comes from.
Their art and craft have evolved to the level of being a classic. I am working on reviving the use of natural dyes, working with natural silks and cottons. We are here to produce high quality products, ensuring a healthy and happy growth for the weavers. Keeping in mind the future, I am training youngsters and making sure that by new intervention the heritage does not disappear.
You have to be conscious as one harshly done process could actually ruin career of a lot of upcoming designers from the region. This is responsible fashion.
On designing costumes for classical dancers
Designing for fashion and designing for dancers are very different in many ways yet are similar.
As an apparel designer, my objectives and responsibilities are to make outfits which are accessible to a large set of audience. When I design for fashion, the trend takes the front seat, because it has to be relevant in the present context.
Whereas, when I design costumes, the driver of my thought process is culture and identity. Nevertheless, the common denominator in both is elegance in styling and comfort for the user.
I have made costumes speak the language of the dance and the dancer whether it has been Anita Ratnam, Leela Samson, Mallika Sarabhai and Aditi Mangaldas. Each dance form has a different grammar. Apart from nuances of each dance, it is also important for me to know the mood, feeling as one wrong move can spoil the entire performance.
Dancer should not be conscious about the attire while performing. Therefore, right body measurements are important. My attempt is to bring about a visual change in the aesthetic experience of a performance.