Fashion star: How khadi evolved from a fabric of rebellion to a canvas for designers

In late December 2016, Ahalya Matthan, founder of The Registry of Sarees in Bengaluru, and I met in Delhi, after several months of phone conversations. Having been one of the initiators of 100 Saree Pact, a hugely popular social media campaign to popularise the wearing of handloom saris among a young generation of Indian women, Matthan asked me to consider collaborating with her on a curated exhibition. The idea grew, and we soon found ourselves setting up a study and research centre that could archive collections of saris. As we travelled through the country sourcing textiles and meeting with master weavers and antique dealers alike, a collection of handspun and handwoven fabrics “found us,” as Matthan puts it.

On Chakshu: Shirt, trousers; both Péro. Loafers, Christian Louboutin. ‘Bisonhead’ necklace, Kichu. On Gayle: Dress, Tilla. Shirt, Maku. Bangles, earrings; both Flowerchild by Shaheen Abbas. Shoes, Christian Louboutin

Between 2002-03, the late Indian textile specialist Martand Singh had curated and presented an exhibition called Khadi: The Fabric Of Freedom. Its core collection had been in the custodianship of Rita Kapur Chishti since then, who had been one of the key team members of the exhibition, along with historian Rahul Jain and designer Rakesh Thakore. She was exploring the possibility of the collection being made accessible to the public at large, serving as a reference for designers and researchers as well. With 108 varieties of cotton khadi represented from nine states of the country, from the thickest of denim to the finest muslin from Bengal of almost 400 counts, it found its way to the centre. Matthan and I were inspired then to revive the original exhibition in a new form, and meanings, metaphor – handspun and handwoven in the 21st century was born.

Changing the narrative

Anarkali, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Flower earrings, Flosaira. Shoes, Truffe Collection

Opening with its first iteration in November last year in Chirala in Andhra Pradesh, a small handloom village where almost 5,000 weavers viewed the exhibition, its second iteration was presented in Coimbatore at the historic 125-yearold Lakshmi Mills. Its third iteration opened in Bengaluru in March. Curating this collection today seems almost serendipitous, since almost 15 years ago its original version had drawn me to explore khadi as a research project when I was a graduating textile design student of the National Institute of Design. Spending a year looking at policy, design and the marketing possibilities of khadi, I had been convinced of the potential of this hand-spun and handwoven Indian fabric to create international luxury brands from the country.

On Gayle: Shirt, Payal Khandwala. Dress, Samant Chauhan. Earrings, Isharya. Shoes, Truffle Collection. On Deveney: Blouse, trousers; both Graine. Dress (worn under blouse), Ekà. Necklace, Studio Metallurgy. Shoes, Jimmy Choo

Back then, I had been led to such ideas by the work of Ahmedabad-based Asha Sarabhai, whose collaboration with the legendary international designer Issey Miyake in the early 1980s—Asha by Miyake Design Studio—had paved the way for the development of a unique Indian contemporary aesthetic and the birth of an international minimalist sensibility not seen before until then. Sarabhai went on to co-found Egg, the prodigious store in London, known to represent some of the most ingenious fashion and textile talent from Asia, patronised by discerning clients internationally, including at one time the world-renowned artist Robert Rauschenberg. This seeded the interest of high-end Japanese designers and brands to find in khadi a product for which they were willing to pay high prices, aiding their search for an alternative to West-centric fashion.

On Chakshu: Shirt, trousers; both Yavi. White kurta (worn under shirt), Raag. Shirt (worn over kurta) 11:11/Eleven Eleven. Shoes, Sko. Necklace, Krithaa. On Deveney: Pussy-bow blouse, slip dress; both Monkey Brain. Jacket, Integument. Earrings, Misho Designs. On Gayle: Anarkali, Rohit Bal

Contemporary design studios like Neeru Kumar in Delhi and Weavers Studio in Kolkata have developed this relationship with Japan further over the last three decades. The setting up of Khadi & Co. in Paris followed such sentiments in Europe, as did the work of Los Angeles-based Christina Kim’s label Dosa. In its original hand-spun and handwoven avatar, khadi has been interpreted by Indian fashion designers through this period, from Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal and Abraham & Thakore to Rajesh Pratap Singh. And these impulses continue to be carried forward today by urban design studios such as the Delhi-based 11.11, Ahmedabad-based Beej and Kolkata-based Maku Textiles, among others, as well as a recent sub-brand by the menswear giant Raymond that uses khadi. Together, such design efforts are helping khadi emerge out of its accompanying stereotypical image of the kurta-Kolhapuri-chappal-wearing idealistic youth of the revolutionary 1960s and ’70s!

The Gandhian ideal

On Deveney: Bralet, H&M. Shirt, trousers; both Kanelle. Jacket, Jewellyn Alvares. Earrings, Studio Metallurgy. Shoes, Aldo. On Gayle: Crop top, Purvi Doshi. Shirt, Ashish Satyavrat Sahu. Skirt, Rajesh Pratap Singh. Earrings, Melt. Shoes, Jimmy Choo. Bag, Gucci

Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas for khadi, from the early 20th century, had involved the daily activity of hand-spinning as a means to create a self-sufficient economy in British colonial India. Becoming a significant symbol and tool for the Indian freedom struggle, its association with public service has continued well into the 21st century. However, Gandhi’s khadi meant a robust, undyed, handwoven fabric made from locally sourced cotton. Since Independence, over the last seven decades the hand-spinning base has steadily declined, and a bulk of what is today termed as khadi uses a range of yarns made from semi-mechanised and mechanised processes, even if this is handwoven. In this scenario, what khadi means remains uncertain, a problem accentuated by its evolution into a government-owned brand, which today stands for a wide array of non-textile products including honey, pickles and handmade paper from cottage industry-based rural enterprises.

Sari, Yumi. Sleeveless jacket, Raag. Long shirt, Amrich. Belt, Clove. Necklace, Misho Designs at Clove. Shoes, Schutz

Last summer, 21_21 Design Sight in Tokyo, a gallery started by Issey Miyake, paid homage to the memory of Martand Singh with an exhibition titled Khadi: The Fabric Of India’s Tomorrow. What will the fabric’s future be in the country, and who will be its new torchbearers?

Sari dress, Rashmi Verma. Earrings, Krithaa

On Chakshu: Shirt, trousers; both Flame. Sandals, Sko. Necklace, Melt

Styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania and Ria Kamat. Edited by Priyanka Khanna. Photographed by: Vikram Kushwah. Hair and makeup: Maniasha/Faze Management. Models: Gayle Dweltz, Deveney Dweltz, Chakshu Sharma/Anima Creative Management. Production: Bindiya Chhabria; Ankita Chandra; Jay Modi. Location courtesy: Shubham Dharnidharka