The Alchemy of Handloom by ‘MOAVI’ : An ode to India’s heritage weaves

Maovi

Moavi draws its roots from old Indian textiles in an attempt to reinvigorate traditional weaves and give them their much-deserved limelight in today’s world of fashion.​ The brand is working towards re-introducing weaves that are on the verge of extinction—they are incorporating Muga silk, Pat silk, Eri-silk, Tusser silk, Linen, Mercerized-cotton and real Zari, creating pure magic beyond boundaries.

Maovi

To start with, Moavi has introduced clusters from, Assam, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and they plan to cover all states eventually to create designs, which will procure holistic aesthetics of our traditional and contemporary eccentricities.

Maovi

Having great passion for both fashion and sustainability, Kavita and Anmol ​Badsra, ​each with years of experience in design and consulting, lead Moavi. Moavi wants to be known as an organisation that uses design as a means to address the most important issues of our times by providing sustainability in life of our weavers​ and artisans.

Maovi

Textile industry, despite being the second largest employment generator segment in our country has not been able to provide sustainable livelihood to our highly skilled handloom weavers in almost all states. We believe, the industries of fashion, textile and design offers unique effective opportunities for designers, craftsmen and consumers alike to contribute to the alleviation of poverty by being ethical about one’s fashion choices without sacrificing style.

Maovi

About the Collection: Ekam—Ekam is literally Moavi’s first step towards envisioned future of Indian handloom sector. This collection draws inspiration from Indian mythology, ‘Ramayana’ depicting each khand/stage of the tale in every product through hand-weaving, hand-embroidery or intricate block printing techniques.

Maovi

The color palette brings forth bright Indian hues like, haldi yellow to sindoori red, deep indigo to metal tones of gold and silver, each shade narrating a different story. We have started with hand-woven saris and dupattas and are working towards expanding the collection further to constructed blouses, jackets and kurtas, wherein planned silhouettes are simple yet feminine and perfectly suitable for work-wear, as well as light occasion wear.

Luxurious Fabrics at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014

Pramita Pandey

‘Midway Gardens’ by Pratima Pandey- Putting an emphasis on Eco-friendly fashion that highlights craftsmanship and sustainability; Pratima Pandey’s label ‘Prama’, presented ‘Midway Gardens’ at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014.

Pramita Pandey

Giving importance to only natural fabrics, the collection was inspired by the life of the 1920’s, which was an era of women empowerment and emancipation. Working with beautiful silk chanderi and cotton Madras checks for basic simple layered silhouettes, the ensembles were splashed with floral embroidery. The sheer over solid theme worked really well for the elegant feminine collection that will appeal to the classic dresser.

Pramita Pandey

Once again Pratima worked with ecru chanderi for over-shirts, which were part of every entry. But this time there were variations, featuring beautiful delicate floral and rose embroidery that cascaded down the front or sides of the tunics. The designer used crinkling as a prominent treatment for solid cotton and checks. Shades of blue, amethyst, green and red were for the kurtas, flared dresses and trousers, while churi sleeves gave a stylish angle to the garments. An interesting innovation was the palm tie-up that held the sleeves firmly in place. Other options included turn-ups for short sleeves and dolman cuts; while the jumpsuits were often teamed with checked jackets.

Shruti Sancheti

‘Strands of Silk’ by Shruti Sancheti– Celebrating the festive season, Shruti Sancheti’s label ‘Pinnacle’, presented the vibrant collection ‘Strands of Silk’ at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014.

Shruti Sancheti

Silk, the most favoured fabric was woven exclusively by Shruti in Benaras with zari as well as pochampalli, an intricate weave. In addition, the designer had raw and cotton silk along with makhmaal to highlight the beauty of the garments. Rich opulent hand embroidery like zardosi, cutwork, resham and kasab gave dramatic touches to the creations.

Shruti Sancheti

The shade card was filled with warm hues ranging from crimson, vermillion, cherry, wine, burnt orange, to saffron, Alphonso, fuchsia and indigo blue. Giving a wide choice of silhouettes, Shruti had voluminous sharara jumpsuits, pleated anarkalis, palazzos, cropped choga jackets and elegant blouses. The show opened with a wrap skirt followed by a long shirt-kurta with cigarette pants, asymmetrical pleated smock and a maxi with checked bodice. Pleated pants and tailcoat blouse, shift with checked yoke, asymmetrical layered tunic, striking sari with long sleeved trench coat and the black/gold sheath with side cut-outs added to the drama of the collection. Shruti ended the show with a black gown having a woven inset, red pleated long skirt with brocade bodice, a dazzling angarkha and gold lehenga.

Sreejith Jeevan

‘Strung Together’ by Sreejith Jeevan- Sreejith Jeevan under his label ‘Rouka’ showcased a traditional collection called ‘Strung Together’ inspired by the beauty of hand-strung Indian garlands at the Jabong Stage during Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014.

Sreejith Jeevan

The range comprised of western silhouettes like dresses, skirts, crop tops, pants, tunics, jackets, and kurtis in rich fabrics such as pure silks, handmade cottons and linens. Bright, bold hues of red, amber, emerald and white gave the pieces a fun, quirky vibe, while darker tones of wood and classic black added a sophisticated edge.

Sreejith Jeevan

Keeping embellishments to a minimal, the designer used illustrative embroidery in geometric shapes along with gathers at the arms so as to envelope and contour each piece. The outfits were simple with intriguing necklines, which ranged from cowl necks to garland-like floral embroidery work. Floral frills balanced out the careful construction of the range and added a feminine appeal.