The Crafts Council of India (CCI) presents an eclectic exhibition titled Craftepreneur; an exhibition of contemporary arts, crafts and textiles from some of India’s most promising new designers from October 28 to 31, 2015 at Lalit Kala Academy.
Designers who desire to integrate the Indian handcrafted traditions and present them in a contemporary vocabulary. This exclusive exhibition will showcase the relevance of craft in modern times. Some of the unique brands that are a part of the exhibition are:
1. Salvaterrahome –clothing
Tucked away in a leafy corner of the new hub of design, Laxmi Woolen Mills is Salva Terra Home- A designer home décor Atelier with a difference- here each unique home furnishing item and accessory is based on the principles of a natural, organic ethos.
Tanushree’s curated collection is a blend of her personal style and extensive experience and travels that have taken her from North East India to Rajasthan to Kerala in the deep south. All Salva Terra products benefit talented but marginalised master craftsmen – Weavers, Potters, Stone masons, Carpenters, Zardosi & Kantha craftsmen. Tanushree has gone to remote villages, sat with master weavers and craftsmen to create one-of-a kind products.
2. Varnam
Varnam (meaning ‘colours’) is a multi-award winning social enterprise that has been working with artisans in Channapatna, Karnataka, for a little over 3 years. The toy town or ‘Gombegala ooru’ is primarily known for Channapatna toys. However few have explored the true potential of the very versatile channapatna toy craft. Varnam’s work has helped create a series of designs interpreting the 200-year-old channapatna toy-making craft in the home and lifestyle space, giving tradition a contemporary twist.
3. Aura
Aura reflects the founders love for the environment and defines their passion to work for it. Through their innovative process of producing herbal textiles and dyes, they want their business to help in impeding pollution and harm caused by regularly dyed textiles.
At Aura we see a world where every user may enthusiastically choose Herbal & natural dyed fabric without compromising on design, quantity or quality. Thus they are accomplishing this dream through our Global Organic Textile Standard certified processes. The beautiful range includes block & batik prints on organic cotton , khadi and Handloom fabric give myriad option and open a world of healthy textiles.
4. Maati Crafts –Handicrafts
Maati Crafts was conceived in the year 2009 by Ms. Jayashree Krishnan & Ms. Anita Chandramohan as a platform to promote the use of traditional Indian crafts in the urban market place. Based solely on handcrafted, hand woven and handmade products for women, the designs are an eclectic mix of traditional styling inspired by the history & culture of the Mughal period.
The organization provides sustained income for artisans while catering to markets across India. The model is based on innovations in using traditional handmade, hand-block printed fabrics and turning them into contemporary designs.
The clothing range includes mughal-inspired anarkalis, long kurtas, chogas, shararas, trousers, stoles & dupattas – using hand woven Ikats, hand block printed Ajrakh, Bagh & Bagru, hand painted Kalamkari. Natural dyes & hand embroidery are an integral part of the collections.
5. Love for the Loom –Sarees
Love for the loom is a humble endeavour to explore the socio-cultural lanes and bylanes of history in fabric. Minimalism is their identity.
Currently they are working with Old World Cottons like G. herbaceum. It is their sincere endeavour to sustain indigenous cotton varieties when bt. cotton is slowly engulfing natural varieties of cotton. They also work with Mangalgiri weavers and try and reinterpret the minimalism and the finesse of the fabric in colour blocking, checks and plaids.
6. Enoy –Handicrafts
Studio Enoy is based in the serene valley of Garhwal hills. A forum where designers and artisans sync their thoughts to facelift the traditional crafts. Together, we design and create myriad of utilitarian products like lights, décor, textiles, tableware. Handcrafted artistically by the masters of the age-old crafts, our products are infused with artisanal values, nostalgia, and sense of place while being innovatively designed for a contemporary lifestyle.
Studio Enoy strives to enhance the sense of pride amongst the master crafts-people for their skill. We aim to reinterpret the traditional crafts to modern context while making them come through in their true essence.
7. Soul Root –clothing
Conceptualized and initiated in the year 2014 by Sonal Chitranshi, Soul Roots is the essence of India, representing its diversity and rich cultural design legacy. The brand embraces the traditional Indian hand block printing process with a modern aesthetic. Sonal aims to revive the Indian craft tradition, through her designs, which are always classic and graceful with a special, handcrafted touch.
From classical to contemporary, the brand embodies time honored craftsmanship of India. The brand uses natural fabrics in comfortable cuts to create trendy clothing for the contemporary Indian woman, who maintains a strong sense of self in the age of globalization. With a wide range of clothing and soft furnishing, Soul Roots, comes from synergy of the designer and her deep romance with all things Indian
8. Paulami Saha –Bags
Born out of love for Indian Handicrafts, this label is an attempt to marry crisp, modern design with traditional craft techniques.
Almost a decade of working in the multi disciplinary firms with industrial mediums such as paper and steel, Ms. Saha had a parallel love affair with the crafts. On one side, the minimal, neat lines were attracting her design sensibilities and on another personal level, the imperfect beauty of the handmade. It was this will to see crafts done with a product design approach this idea of the Brand, PAULAMI was conceived in 2014.
The aim is to make good quality handcrafted products which is possible only by working with crafts persons and then fabricating them into products using the specialized vendors thereby utilizing both their strengths.
USP: Most of the accessories are usable in more than one way. In providing some flexibility to the user, the idea remains the same that design should play a very understated yet important role.
9. Zola –Jewellery
Zola, which in Italian means a piece of earth is inspired by the art, architecture and culture of India; it draws from the vibrant colours, textures, tales of India’s rich cultural heritage and folklore, emotions, passions , fine workmanship and seamless Indian beauty.
Zola as a brand aims to enhance and create sustainable livelihoods for rural artisans, especially for women by designing quality jewellery that celebrates Indian’s rich craft heritage. By conducting design Intervention and Innovation workshops for rural artisans and craftsmen and introducing new materials, new processes, new tools and technologies in jewellery design. Zola serves as a link between artisans, craftsmen and customers, traditional and the contemporary, change and continuity.
Zola’s collection includes jewellery of the Dhokra Damar tribes of Dhokra Damar tribes of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha that use the lost wax casting technique and create jewellery motifs with an alloy of nickel, brass and zinc that lends an antique appeal to the casting.
Using the Patachitra technique of painting in Odisha, a style of wall painting, manuscript painting, palm-leaf etching, and painting on cloth, both cotton and silk., Zola has designed beautiful hand painted earrings on wood. These exclusive earrings and are inspired by the Devadasis of Konark and other mythological and folk tales of India.
The recent addition to Zola’s collection is an exclusive range of Leather puppetry jewellery by the traditional artisans of Andhra Pradesh. The leather puppets, because of their transparency and jewel like glow, are most popular.
Zola also worked with the traditional Mural artists of Wayanad, Kerala and created an exclusive collection of hand painted pendants on bamboo. Kerala’s mural tradition evolved as a complement to her unique architectural style, originating with the prehistoric rock paintings found in the Anjanad Valley.
10. Studio Saswata -Home Décor
Studio Saswata draws inspiration from rich Indian cultural heritage and source thoughts from chequered history that has seen stupendous changes over the ages. They work with karigars, having their expertise in the art of thathera, engraving, embossing, craving and much more.
Where abstract thoughts take form and that elusive product is created that will cause your heart to go aflutter or be it that customized product that would make you say “Flawless”. Driven by Indian Crafts, rituals, people and culture, they create products with a contemporary feel.
Studio Saswata states, “if the world is materialistic, then why not enhance the materials one adopt”.
Studio Saswata is co-founded by a group of designers, Shamit Das, Sugandha C. Das and Tauseef Rehan Abidi.
11. Ssaha-Sarees
Ssaha is a grass root creative laboratory which endeavors to document and promote the vast vocabulary of traditional knowledge. Their relentless effort is to reinterpret and develop alternatives to add value wherever they find the need to change augment or relocate their artistic vision. They believe that the alliance between craft and design as a mutual learning
mechanism, where both sides can exchange knowledge and enhance their professional capabilities and empower artisans to further their own innovations.
Ssaha work is designed as social business to promote and engage the crafts and the community.
The word Jamdani is of Persian origin, deriving from ‘Jam’, meaning flower, and ‘Dani’, a vase or a container because of the pattern generated through the weaving. ‘The Tangail Jamdani is similar to the Dhakai Jamdani in that it uses interlocking extra weft cotton yarn to produce floral or eometric motifs. However, it has a softer feel and sparser distribution of motifs. The major difference between Kalna/ Nadia Tangail Jamdani and Fulia Tangail Jamdani is that it incorporates vibrant colours and large, intricate designs woven in double jacquard whereas in the districts in Kalna and Nadia the jamdani is completed hand done pick by pick. A true Jamdani saree is woven without using even a jacquard machine. The weaver uses fine needle-like spindles to conjure magic with extra weft work that can rival the most intricate embroidery.
12. Warsaa -Home décor
The Warsaa shop at Shaniwar wada is a project initiated by the Pune chapter of INTACH. Warsaa’s endeavor is to promote and create awareness about Pune, its craft, environ and its heritage. Warsaa is presently working with Maharashtrian craftsmen to develop new designs using their age-old techniques for contemporary taste (the tambats).
The proceeds of the sale are invested back for further revitalization of the craft and heritage. Thus by promoting Warsaa products you will be helping in the much needed drive for saving are Pune’s traditions and heritage.
13. Sparkle Berryz –Jewellery
Founded in 2014 by Mrs. Bindu S. Sastry, Sparkle Berryz, the jewellery line is inspired by nature’s berries…the round beautiful berries of all colours which hold the promise of life and it adds a sparkle and a smile to the wearer. Hence Sparkle Berryz inspired by nature’s wild berries, a chic ethnic jewellery line was born – to add a sparkle to every attire you wear.
14. Windglaze -Pottery
Set up in the year 2000 by Puneet Brar is situated on the outskirts of Pondicherry and Auroville. Puneet trained at the national Institute of Design, graduating in Industrial design,at Mantra pottery Auroville and also in France at art Ceramic Atelier Delarue before setting up her pottery. The product range varies from mugs, plates, bowls, jugs and other tableware to vases, lamp bases, aromatherapy diffusers and urlies. They sell locally, export and undertake specific design and manufacture commissions for houses/restaurants etc. They have done specific commissions for the barefoot resort in the Andamans and the Maldives. The team includes people from the nearby villages who had no prior knowledge of pottery and have all been trained by them. They are skilled in almost all processes of ceramics and use many industrial techniques in an innovative and artistic manner along with a high level of hand skills to give their products a unique quality.
15. Mubarakpur Weaves -Benaras weaves
Mubarakpur is an ancient handloom weaving cluster, with evidence of fine silk weaving being practiced here since the 14th century. Even the famous medieval traveller Ibn Batuta has praised the high quality fabrics being made in Mubarakpur in his travel diaries. A luxurious satin weave with zari motifs had historically been the highlight of this area but over the years, this was usurped by the traders of Banaras and became synonymous with the Banarsi sari leading to a decline in the fame of Mubarakpur.
16. Aiyana –Bags
The spring of 2010 marked the birth of Aiyana – as a fashion brand that would revive heritage crafts in Punjab through contemporary designs and product formats. The design team at AIYANA worked with artisans as they revisited their forgotten skills of fine crochet and Phulkari. Dating back centuries, these handwork skills were taught by grandmothers and mothers to their next generation but were struggling to stay relevant. AIYANA’s designs reflect a modern fashion sensibility built on traditional handicrafts – giving them a fresh lease of life. Aiyana personifies an independent, self-sufficient, empowered woman – both as its creator and a customer. With a foundation in rich heritage crafts, Aiyana’s collections are delicate, intricate and tempting where every product has its own unique story.
17. Pink Lemon
Pink Lemon’ is about the amalgamation of Traditions and Modernism. It’s conceived for the Contemporary woman who still wants to remain connected with the Roots and Traditions, as they proudly revive & incorporate the age old craftsmanship of hand block prints, Gota work, Mirror Work, Embroideries and Bandhani/Tie-Dye in their Clothes. Whether its Simple Cottons or Flowing Georgettes every garment has a ‘hint of heritage’, thus making it aesthetic & elegant in appeal. Affordable/Wearable/Durable Apparels by using hand made textile techniques (mainly from Rajasthan).
18. Cotton Rack –Clothing
Rayil Kul Associates is a registered partnership firm which was set up in early 2014. Their business model is based on manufacturing and retailing of socially responsible fashion and lifestyle brands . The company is poised to cater to large consumer base by bringing in more than one socially responsible & targeted fashion and lifestyle brands. Based on the decision, the company started with Cotton Rack, a premium Khadi Indo-western women’s wear brand.
CottonRack is a premium Indo – western women’s wear brand with Khadi at its core. The brand was started out of a personal need of grounded and socially responsible garbs. Cotton Rack does so by amalgamating hand woven & handspun Khadi with superior stitching quality and minimal designs.
19. Punarnawa Crafts
The intention with which Punarnawa Crafts was founded on 26th January 2011 was to bring out the best ideas of livelihoods and implement them at the marginalized and ultra-poor sections of the state Odisha. The core crafts include Embroidery, Applique, Handloom Weaving, Crochet & Knit, Coir, Patta-Chitra, Palm Leaf, Tribal
Jewelry, Dokra & Metal Crafts, Sabai Grass, Bamboo, Stone, Terracotta, Resin-Inlay, Copper metal bells, Block Print, Leather.
20. Arishi
ARISHI ……the thread story,is a humble effort by Aparna Patel, towards rejoicing the art of Gujarat….its embroideries.It’s a fashion story that involves crafts women from tribal Gujarat n weavers from all over India. Gujarat has different forms of embroideries to offer every 100km and that’s what makes it truly vibrant.
There is a beautiful amalgamation of cuts ,style, flow n embroidery in ARISHI clothes that make them stand out.
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