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“BORO” – Autumn / Winter 2013

14th March 2013



AT WILLS LIFESTYLE INDIA FASHION WEEK



Loosely based on the concept of “BORO”, mended or patched textiles used as items of clothing in Japan by the peasants, merchants or artisans. Boro was born out of the forgotten values of “mottainaia” or “too good to waste, an idea lacking in the modern consumer lifestyle. Sewn together over generations, family sagas were woven through the threads.



The Fall/winter 2013 is a patchwork of stories with a distinct ethnic-contemporary look rooted in India and based on visual references from the Boro-Boro , mended and patched textiles of Japan, the Kimono, the fine weaves of the Dhakai Jamdani / muslin from Bengal, the textures of Malkha cotton and Khadi from the Gudi-Mudi project of Central India. s



The collection takes the path of a traveler who brings back various items of clothing from the different regions she has traveled, accumulating memories along the way. The ensembles borrow from cultures in and around India though not hinting at any in particular. Nothing overtly traditional, the aesthetics is “arty” with each ensemble being interpreted differently with each layer; perfect for a well-travelled audience.



More details :

The first story uses handspun, hand-woven and naturally dyed fabrics from the Gudi-mudi Khadi project of Central India under Womenweave where women are trained and provided a sustainable employment. In monochromes of Black – Kora / offwhite and shades of grey it brings back silhouettes like the Kimono and the Kosode which is an essential part of a Japanese peasant and working-class wardrobe. The textures of these fabrics are in monochromes of Kora-grey-black, almost reminiscent of “scribbling” or “doodling” on paper.



The second story uses Malkha khadi and textures in colours of Indigo, Browns and black with green / “taxi yellow”  as an accent , it brings back the almost forgotten technique of “French knot” embroidery in wool. The almost masculine pin-stripes are used in silhouettes like the jacket-dress, shirt dresses, achkans, loose flowing kurtas, kaftans and capes.



The third story uses Dhakai jamdani textiles from around West Bengal with its delicate multi-colour placement butas that add the accent colours to the collection in shapes like the quintessential Indian kurta, shirt dresses, tunics and stoles. The silk scarves in this story are inspired from archival textiles from different regions in India.



The print story uses motifs from the Indonesian batik vocabulary and is shaped into kallidar kurtas and shift dresses.



Footnote :

The BORO concept of mending and patching up old items of clothing and making it last for years is almost reminiscent of the “Sujni Kantha” technique in India (especially around Bengal / Bihar ). Nowadays “kantha” is used as a decorative and commercial piece (only/ usually) while originally it was meant to function as so much more ….Meaning rags, it used the most simplest of stitches – the running stitch to join / patch old layers of sarees and make quilts etc, mainly functional and born out of necessity.

This collection takes off from BORO but leads you to newer roads!