Textiles tales by Rema Kumar

14 Dec 2017
Nikhil
Features

Designer Rema Kumar doesn’t just weave beautiful fabrics but inspiring tales to go with them

They say you can judge a man by the shoes he wears, so what would you judge a woman by? The clothes a woman wears doesn’t merely serve the purpose of clothing oneself but is also a form of her self-expression. Handwoven fabrics have long been associated with our tradition and culture and are a timeless addition to one’s closet, so when Rema Kumar set about curating "Textile Tales” in Kochi she decided to weave in unique stories with everyone of her pieces of clothing.

The exhibition which took place at the Rotary Balabhavan in Panampilly Nagar last week included a collection of India’s diverse and celebrated surface detail techniques on different weaves – Ajrakh, Batik, Handblocks, Kalamkari, and Shibori.

Rema Kumar said that engaging in conversations about the various techniques and weaves in the collection and a steady flow of walk-ins was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for her and she was surprised about having interactions with the ladies who dropped in, some of them quite well informed about Indian textiles.

Rema's love affair with fabric dates back more than twenty years. Since her last visit to Kochi three years ago, her journey has grown tremendously as she now collaborates with weavers and artisans in Bhuj, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra and had an extensive set of collection this time!

What was special this time in ‘Textile Tales’?

The handwoven saris in Kota, Linen, Cottons, Uttara, Maheshwari, Chanderi, Tussars come in all hues – creams, pastels, monochromes, indigos, earth and the vibrant multicolored joyous shades; something for everyone.. A limited edition of mix and match blouses with Batik, Kalamkari and embroidery could liven up any sari and elevate its style quotient. The same goes for tastefully designed Ajrakh and Batik soft tussar silk stoles and vibrant silk dupattas. The Patachitra stoles, Pipliwork embellished textiles and the pristine cream Gamcha dupattas highlighted with multicolored Pallas, mayurpakhis and prajapatis are part of the Odisha Manthan Collection.