Final Outcome

Inspired by the work of Ashi Studio, Rami Kadi and Manish Malhotra I longed to create a piece of work which combined traditional Indian techniques, patterns and craftsmanship with Western styles, laced with a modern and sleek elegance,

For the top, I chose flesh-coloured mesh with an intricate patterns embroidered in royal blue with details of silk painted appliqué and beading. This is to create the illusion of a tattoo on the skin; keeping with the idea of traditional Indian henna tattoos.

For the skirt, I chose neoprene (a thick foam-like fabric which is used for wetsuits) and manipulated large panels of the fabric to create a modern and unorthodox shape. I laced the skirt with hand painted silk, beading and hand-drawn designs with silver gutta; paying attention to the importance of detailing in Indian garments. 

I am pleased with my final outcome, especially considering the difficulties I faced using such difficult fabrics like mesh and neoprene. Using such contrasting fabrics kept my work interesting and I learned many lessons in dealing with problems I was faced with; e.g. sewing heavy embroidery into fine mesh, resulting in rips and tears so I had to learn how to manage this and prevent it. 

A Brief History of Indian Textiles

Ancient Indian Textiles

The Muslim period in India extended from around 1200 A.D. to 1760 when the British took over. Marco Polo left detailed accounts of the people and industries of the coastal regions of India in the late thirteenth century. He mentioned seeing on the Coromandel Coast the finest and most beautiful cloth in all the world-buckrams like the tissues of spider webs, and he observed dyeing with indigo in the great tex­tile center of Cambay and spinning of cotton in Gujarat. A permit was required to buy silks, satins, and brocades, and only the well-to-do were allowed to have them. The sultan employed four thousand silk weavers who made robes of honor, hangings, and gifts of gold brocade for foreign dignitaries.

 The greatest Akbar who ruled for the second half of the sixteenth century-governed a glorious empire where the textile arts flourished until the late seventeenth century. Fabulous horse and elephant trappings, as well as the apparel, pillows, and wall hangings, were remarked upon. There were marvelous gold brocades called kimhabs, or kincobs, from Banaras. Writers proclaimed on the sheerness of Dacca muslins, called evening dew, running water, or sweet-like-sherbert.

Contemporary Indian Textiles 

            Where tradition, not fashion, rules, concentration on the aesthetic can prevail instead of mere change. Indian textile heritage has been preserved by the woman's sari, which often exhibits fine weaving, delicate textures, beautiful colours, and rich patterns (Plate 49). A formal sari might be of silk (or a cotton called jamdani), brocaded in floral patterns formed with many tiny bobbins, each holding a different colour. An everyday sari could be a simple striped or checked cotton or a solid made iridescent by having the warp of one colour, the weft of another. Sometimes saris are exquisitely block printed with gold or silver floral sprays or show all-over spot patterns of tie-dye. Ikat is used for traditional diamond or trellis patterns.

 

 Embroidery is important in India and there are many regional styles. Sometimes it is the work of village women; other times it is done by male professionals. There is a vast difference between the work that reaches western markets and the fine embroidery, important for its symbolism - that was made for the courts and temples of old India.

Phulkari (flower work) is a specialty of Punjab embroiderers. Bright-coloured floss silk is worked on cotton with a darning stitch. Phulkari is sometimes combined with the mirror work that originated when blue and green beetle backs were sewn onto wedding garments of the hill tribes of southern India.

The Indian Holi Festival

This is a day when most of India is drenched in different colours, because the Hindu majority is celebrating its festival of colours called Holi. Holi for Indians is both a religious as well as a socio- cultural festival during which a wide range of colours are smeared over each other as a mark of love and belongingness.

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Bonfire where people gather, sing and dance. The next morning is a free-for-all carnival of colours, where participants play, chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water, with some carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water-fight. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance.

I wanted this beautiful festival to feature in my work as I felt like I wasn't achieving the full colour scheme of the Indian culture through my own photography and observational drawings. I want to focus on the natural patterns created through loosely throwing the vibrantly coloured powders, possibly through tie-dying or using powder dyes on silk, then recreate these patterns with embroidery on different fabrics.

In poorer areas of India, water with coloured dye is used more often, but the video above clearly indicates that festive joy and love is still present. Watch the clip below to see how more culturally diverse areas celebrate the festival.

Introduction

I have always been mesmerized by the outstanding beauty of the Indian Culture. During my research I fell more in love with every aspect of the culture; the festivals, religion, architecture, patterns, art and colour. However, the main factor behind my desire to study this beautiful country is the astonishingly intricate attire - generally associated with "Bollywood".



Throughout my project I want to extract colours and patterns from all aspects of the Indian culture, with the aim that I will create my own patterns - influenced by those I have studied - and create a more refined and modernised version of the typical wedding 'Saree' or 'Lehenga', possibly combining the traditional Western style of wedding dress with the patterns and intricate embroidery of the traditional Eastern (specifically Indian) wedding dress.  I hope to advance my sewing and dressmaking skills throughout this project through heavy embroidery, hand sewing and working with new fabrics that I have no previous experience with.



As a passionate dressmaker, this project excites me as I can see astounding potential for my textile work. I want to portray my appreciation for the Indian traditional colours, craftmanship, textures and embroideries through my personal perspective.