EN-ROUTE TO THE LAND OF WEAVES AND THE WEAVERS

India’s riches of handcrafted textiles

and products lie a lot in its

long-lived traditions and methods

innate to them along with the

people who are associated with it.

The rapidity of changes in styles,

in fashion, in customs has made

Traditional crafts particularly

vulnerable.

My journey to this beautiful and

resplendent world begins with

working for Crafts NGO’s like Dastkar

(Delhi), Mulberry (Assam), Abhyudaya

(Delhi) and Cosvi (Udaipur).

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Dastkar (Delhi, India) is a 30 year old crafts NGO

working with more than 40,000 Traditional Indian

craftspeople by helping them regain their place

in the economic mainstream. Dastkar works to

develop a direct market for Indian crafts to sell

their products.

Hence, from managing finances to coordinating

with the artisans on everyday basis,

My commitment extended well beyond a

confined role as I conceptualized the look, the

themes and lay out of the stall structures,

banners and props for our dream “Bazaar”

Working With Dastkar

ORGANIZING BAZAARS

DELHI

BAN

GA

LOR

E

“Working with limited resources

teaches you to work more efficiently and

prepares you to do many roles at one time”

CHENNAI

PUNE

CHENNAI

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Creating AwarenessCRAFT WORKSHOPS

Appreciating the value of crafts is the necessity

for our all sections and age groups of society

today. So as to counter act the fascination of

people with big brands and designers.

Thus, to create more awareness, I initiated the

concept of craft workshops during bazaars

conducted by the artisans.

Information boards were put up at various

locations. Special coupons with nominal price

ensured huge turnout and smooth workflow.

These workshops were a hit as they not only

created awareness but also generated an extra

income for the artisans.

“Craft is not just a recreational “hobby”

but a vital clue and entry point to India’s

past, present and future”

WEAVING

KALAMKARIPAINTING

CLAY MODELLING

POTTERYPOTTERY

PHAD PAINTING

PAPER BAG &KITE MAKING

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Natural RythemsCULTURAL SHOWS

There is a lot more to India’s cultural realms apart

from crafted products and textiles. Indian soil

with its music and dance has the capability to

transport you to another world.

To make it an experience of a kind, cultural shows

from different states were organized during the

bazaar’s to be explored along with crafts.

I not only handled the budget allocations for

these cultural evenings but also arranged the

aesthetical planning and sequencing of the

cultural performances. No wonder, visitors were

beautifully hooked for a long stay at the bazaar.

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“Managing the event as a whole

and representing Dastkar on such

a huge forum was a

very challenging and

rewarding experience”

When Designers Meet The ArtisansMARIE CLAIRE FASHION SHOW

Marie Claire, the fashion magazine from outlook group conducted a unique

fashion show with Dastkar. Ten famous young Indian designers were brought together

to work with crafts people. The weavers and designers met and worked for three months

and each pair made two garments.

It was an interesting initiative because on one hand we had the suave, well-heeled, educated

and well-exposed young designers and on the other hand, we had the finest but shy craftsmen

from the remotest areas of our country.

I headed this project and was intensely involved with the selection process of the artisans.

Working extensively with artisans and preparing them for fashion was a major task,

since they had never walked the ramp before.

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Workshop was organized and conducted for product

development and experimentation with new

color combinations. Further, ombre dyeing was introduced

with natural colors to enhance the product range

and bring variation to their old color schemes.

The result of the workshop was new products like

laptop bags,purses and tablet holders.

TEETERING CITADELSLEATHER WORK ARTISANS

There a sense of ‘exclusivity’ attached to every crafts

and it is only handcraft that can produce unique

one of a kind products.

Harmara and Jawaja leather association are groups of

local artisans from the remote villages in Rajasthan state

(India). They are famous for their traditional art of making

handicraft goods from natural leather and colors.

Though the products made are the speciality of the local

artisans yet lack of product development, limitation of

colors and old designs were limiting their sales and

demand among the consumers.

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From The City Of Dawn

COSVI (UDAIPUR/INDIA)Since 2010, Cosvi along with Development Commission

of Handicrafts is working for the development of

‘Chippa’ artisans of village “AKOLA” located 70kms

away from the city of Udaipur. Akola is a crafts cluster

where several families, for generation have been

engaged in the art to hand printing and natural dyeing

to earn their livelihood. Due to present advancement

in the technology these families face stiff competition

in the market for the sustenance.

Consultancy was provided to them, during my tenure

with Dastkar. The Organization seems confused,

unplanned and have a scattered work profile.

By an intense S.W.O.T analysis, a project and marketing

plan was constructed to give a focused path

to the organization.

To bring more sustainability, suggestions were made to

experiment majorly in Akola prints (Phetia/ Daboo) in

Indigo dye and introducing new concepts like metallic

colors to bring variation in the prints and designs.

A product range was created based on the suggestions,

consisting of saris, stoles and dupattas, which were

introduced during different fairs. The consumers for its

originality and concepts appreciated it.

Later, readymade garment range was introduced

to the product range.

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From The MinesABHYUDAYA (DELHI/ INDIA)

Popularly known as ‘Pakistani Mohalla’ in South Delhi’s, Bhati Mines area is inhabited by around 8,000 refugees from parts of Pakistan. The condition of women here is abysmal. Most of the males from the families either indulge in alcohol or never come back as they migrate to other places in search of work. Abhudaya (NGO) was established in 2005 to empower these women who are gifted with their traditional skills of Sindhi embroidery and crochet.

I am working with them as a consultant and designer. I have created a Project plan to provide a sustainable marketing environment for the organization. Further, as a designer helping them create a Jewelry range using their skill of crochet.

When we work with such NGO’s it’s sometimes difficult to go by the rulebook. You have to be spontaneous to work with what you have, to build more confidence among the artisans. Hence, I used the motifs and designs, which already existed and modified them as per the latest trends.

Exciting color combinations and trendy designs are used to attract the young generation. Products created : hoops, necklaces, hair bands and anklets. 8

“For every assamese weaving is just

not a way of earning living,

but a emblem of pride,

love and affection”

The light of the eastMULBERRYRegistered as a non-profit organization in August 1999, Mulberry

(Development & Marketing Society for weavers) has been set up

with a mandate to work towards the development and economic

empowerment of rural women in the north east of India. Women

from tribal communities: Karbis, Bodos, Misings and Dimasas are

associated with Mulberry as it provides them an opportunity to

generate income through their own household crafts.

The strength of Mulberry is fine weaving and the use of traditional

motifs in their products for men and woman clothing. However,

my contribution has been to break the monotony of the product

range and align it with the present trends.

Styles were kept in sync with flavor of the season and product

range was further evolved to include waist jacket, tops and

spaghettis to satisfy the young age group.

To minimize the cost and wastage, scarp material discarded during

the production was utilized to make accessories like bags and

belts. Its proved to be economically, socially and environmentally

successful and also generated work for woman in the village.

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PRESERVING THE THREADS OF LIFEOver 10 million craftspeople are part of India’s living heritage. Despite sub-primitive economic conditions,they practice skills unmatched with any other country. They stitch, weave, embroider, paint, sculpt and work with different mediums from silk to linen, terracotta to leather, wood to metal, and even with elephant’s poo. There are hundreds of different techniques and traditions, unique to each state, community and areas, yet they striving for their existence and their full potential remains untapped.

Due to imitative versions of products, sub-standard quality of artwork and lack of market opportunities; Craft is looked on as boring and passé! There is a need to reinvent traditional craft and give it a new look and appeal.

So, I want to create an opportunity for craft and design to come into their own. A synergy of unique skills and materials that matches the needs of today’s consumers with professionally honed functional products and market opportunities that can conquer not just the Indian market but also the world!

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