Saar
A celebration of Kutchi Handweaving
'Saar' is a collection of Kutchi Handwoven Sarees, celebrating the woven legacy of Kutch and the versatility of the saree. We are presenting this collection of saree with a very contemporary approach while keeping the essence of the craft alive, where these sarees are for everyone regardless of gender and body types.
About the Project -
This project was done in continuation with our Craft Research Document done previously, on Kutchi Handweaving from the Sarli region of Kutch. We in a group of 7 people co-created this collection with artisans from Sarli, Kutch over the period of 8 weeks.
Design Process -
We started with extensive market research of Kutchi Handwoven products, and found that the artisans of Kutchi Handweaving have explored shawls and stole in great depth, and sarees were very much unexplored as they began weaving sarees very recently. Kutchi handwoven sarees at this point has a very certain look which may not appeal to a lot of people, we wanted to change that and explore Sarees in Kutchi Handweaving and try to make it appeal to a much larger audience.
Production
Process of Yarn Preparation, Warping, Starching, Weaving & Finishing, done by Kutchi Handweaving artisans from
Sarli, Kutch.
Final Products
Here are our individual saree layouts, which are shown on three different drapes, stating the versatility of our sarees. Along with this are the images of the sarees.
Design by - Aanchal Parihar
Design by - Apoorva Chouksey
Design by - Nandini Garg
Design by - Nidhi Anand
Design by - Rupali Kanojiya
Design by - Shruti Joshi
Design by - Sushant Gupta
Final Collection
The collection is a celebration of Kutchi hand-weaving craft and the versatility of sarees. Saree is traditionally considered a garment of women’s clothing however we’ve tried to present a different perspective to the whole concept. Saree is not gender-specific, it’s just a 6 yard long piece of fabric that is adaptable to a number of different styles of drapes. We’ve tried to present this collection of “sarees” as “gender-neutral drapes”. Saree is for everyone, regardless the gender or body types. The collection saar is an effort from our end to appreciate the inclusivity of this gender-neutral drape.
Conclusion
This module has taught us to comprehend the value of crafts as well as the specifics of the processes that go into developing craft products in an era where design is crucial to the advancement of handloom and handicrafts. One is fully aware of the issues that the artists confront and the issues related to the development of the craft after conducting extensive study and going through the product creation process. Being a designer, it is important to understand the design process of the crafts and the working of the clusters in order to create the collaborative project that was successfully finished in this module.
The craft of Kutchi hand weaving has a lot of potential. As weaving is a laborious process, successful collaboration between weavers and designers demands time and patience from both parties. Extra-weft weaving offers a vast array of themes and color schemes that, if explored, have a higher possibility of becoming a global art form.
The craft of Kutchi hand weaving has a lot of potential. As weaving is a laborious process, successful collaboration between weavers and designers demands time and patience from both parties. Extra-weft weaving offers a vast array of themes and color schemes that, if explored, have a higher possibility of becoming a global art form.
Our Experiences
Sarli is a glad spot with cheerful individuals. The amiable people of Sarli welcomed us with open doors and open hearts. Proficient master artisans and their families are proud of this woven legacy of Sarli. Our Field learning was immense, and our real-life problem-solving abilities were honed. Every day brought a new set of challenges and opportunities. Their Expertise ensured that the envisioned designs were completed and brought into reality. Having known the process and result from this close, we found ourselves to be highly appreciative of the fantastic craft is Kutchi Weaving.
The Team with our final Jury display.
Standing; Left to Right - Rupali Kanojiya, Sushant Gupta, Apoorva Chouksey, Aanchal Parihar
Sitting; Left to Right - Shruti Joshi, Nandini Garg, Nidhi Anand
Editorial Photoshoot Credits -
Styling, Drapes & Creative Direction -
Sushant Gupta, Apoorva Chouksey, Rupali Kanojiya, Aanchal Parihar, Shruti Joshi, Nandini Garg, Nidhi Anand
Photography - Gunjan Choudhary & Apeksha Dwivedi
Makeup - Kritika Das
Talents -
Priyanshu Bhagat, Pranav Shekhawat, Lovish Goyal, Kritika Das, Jasmine Barla, Anjala Fathima, Khushi Singh
Location - Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
