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.
