Hailed as the Queen of Indian Kitsch, Nida Mahmood, one of the prominent faces in the fashion industry, hosted a preview of her latest endeavour, Madam Marigold, a brand eco-friendly to its core and 100 per cent swadeshi is its essence.  Held recently at Sidecar, GK 2, over an evening of cocktails, the preview showcased the first collection of the brand. “We are calling the first collection of the eponymous brand Madam Marigold to keep it simple for everyone. This is an eco-conscious brand with the marigold flower as its muse as the flower stands for everything that is Indian. It epitomises India in so many beautiful ways,” shares Mahmood, adding, “The minute you think of marigold you think of Indian tradition and this is where the ideology of the brand comes from.”

Retelling the stories of Indians and its culture in a modern context, the brand is an ensemble of tradition and modern elements. “Keeping the ethos of the brand, we have created a collection which uses two techniques –ajrakh printing from Gujarat and 160-year-old unique photography technique – to create the entire collection. The collection uses different kinds of sustainable fabrics, handlooms, natural dyes and natural ways of printing. For ajrakh, all the ingredients used in the process of dying and printing are all-natural, like using turmeric for yellows, pomegranate for rust colours, onion peels, tea leaves, beetroot, hibiscus, marigold, natural indigo and more,” the designer shares.

Apart from ajrakh, they have attempted the analog technique to expose prints on textiles and paper, an extremely tedious technique that requires a lot of attention. “We are using the analog technique, once used for photography. We give a coating of photosensitive material on the fabric and expose the design, usually different kinds of leaves, on it. Since it’s not a digital or screen print, no two designs are the same. It is an art.” The collection brings the Indian simplicity back in the limelight by reviving the age-old craftsmanship, something that can be enjoyed by a 20-year-old to someone in her 70s. “As a brand, we are positioning ourselves as sexy, sustainable and 100 per cent swadeshi. The term sexy doesn’t have to be associated to someone in 20s, a 70 or 80-year-old can equally feel beautiful and sexy. So, the definition of the word can be anything.

Also, it speaks about versatility and how the garments are not dated.” The collection comprises of kurtis, saris, jackets, etc. In terms of the brand being entirely swadeshi, Mahmood is working with Indian crafts, textiles and techniques. “We are working with women, empowering them in the process of setting up a corpus where they are trained to work on the photography techniques,” says Mahmood, who chose to work with women as part of the social movement, something she has done a lot in the past as well. 

As the conversation about sustainability grows louder by the day, the designer wants to be a part of the story in her own small way. “As a creator, you need to weave a story which holds relevance today. People like us can help save the planet. And as people across industries are taking measures to make themselves sustainable, so, it is quintessential for, people who are in responsible positions create something of value.”