Merino Wool Handwoven Textiles | Part 4

Part 4 of the 'Merino Wool Handwoven Textiles' covers the last phase of my project with Woolmark Services India Pvt. Ltd., and the development of the final collection. Explorations in Part 1, 2 and 3 were instrumental in understanding material combinations, potential of the looms, the weavers' processes and attitudes towards fine count Merino wool yarns, as well as the developed samples' suitability for apparel.

The quest for more finer Merino wool handwoven fabrics continued with the West Bengal and Gujarat clusters. Since the finest count Merino wool yarns available (120 Nm and 2/120 Nm) were not strong enough to be used in the warp of a traditional handloom, they were used in combination with 20/22 D Mulberry silk, 2/80 Ne and 2/100 Ne cotton yarns. A range of undyed, plain woven fabrics were developed, targeting appropriate fabric weights, fineness and without any yarn slippage for the premium womenswear segment.

I was given a lot of freedom to decide the target consumer for the project. According to the 'Global Powers of Luxury Goods' published by Deloitte in 2019, the average age of the value-seeking consumer was 43 years. Hence, I targeted Gen x, Indian women, who were urban, affluent, well travelled, sophisticated and cosmopolitan.

Below: Consumer Profile

Image, Clockwise from Left:

Pinterest, Prerna Goel, www.architecturaldigest.in/magazine-story/mumbai-home-prerna-goel, www.vogue.in/magazine-story/holistic-wellness-centres-india-vedary-paro-self-care-healing, Raw Mango

With functionality, versatility and individuality forming the three cornerstones, the collection was built downwards from planning wearables for different activities during the day, to the textiles which would be suitable for them.

My inspiration was a blend of feminine and masculine, East and West, classical and modern, etc. The classic bourgeois suit, shirt/blouse, 70s maxi dress, etc., were re-interpreted with the silhouette and details borrowed from the Indian ‘angarkha’ and 'choga', to create a contemporary, fusion look.

Image, Above, Clockwise from Left:

Pinterest, Shanti Bindu by S.H. Raza, Le Smoking Suit photographed by Helmut Newton

Image, Below, Clockwise from Left:

All images for journal sourced from Pinterest

The visual language for the textiles sought a minimal, Modernist look, through a play of dots, circles and lines. The craft language of both Jamdani and Bhujodi weaving techniques were simplified to the bare minimum, while retaining their indigenous characteristics.

At this stage in the project, our supplier for natural dyeing was pulled out because of issues with dyeing fine count Merino wool yarns. Hence, all samples developed at the West Bengal cluster were with undyed Merino wool, which worked out better since Jamdani looked better in white.

Above: 80 Nm Merino wool + 20/22 D Mulberry silk, Extra weft motifs in Merino wool

A fine count Merino wool and Mulberry silk blend rendered the Angarkha inspired maxi dress lightweight, soft and ethereal, perfect for luxuriously lounging at home.

Handwoven in West Bengal in a succession of varying horizontal stripes, the fabric was dotted with minimal extra-weft, Jamdani motifs.

Above: 80 Nm Merino wool + 80 Lea Linen, Extra weft motifs in Merino wool

Merino Wool-linen sleeveless shirt and palazzos made for a crisp, comfortable and breezy look that could be worn both indoors and outdoors. Textile for the shirt was patterned with the ‘terchi’ (diagonal) double stripes inspired from traditional Jamdani saris.

Formalwear was given an eclectic flair by blending the classic suit and ceremonial choga.

The fine count wool-cotton, wrap-around shirt with subdued extra-weft dots was soft, breathable and timeless in any season.

Above: 2/120 Nm Merino wool + 150 Ne Khadi cotton, Extra weft motifs in Merino wool

In Bhujodi, the natural dyeing facility enabled few samples with naturally dyed yarns. Being an expensive and time consuming process, only one colour was selected.

Merino wool was dyed in indigo and cotton was dyed separately in lac. They were combined later on the loom to achieve the shade of lavender from the inspiration. The explorations tried few Bhujodi extra weft patterning in tone on tone combinations.

Above: Indigo dyeing of 2/120 Nm Merino wool

Above: Lac dyeing of 2/80 Ne cotton

The suiting fabric in wool-cotton blend was handcrafted in Gujarat. Also, the folk, extra-weft technique of Kachchh was reinterpreted for more urban chic chevrons.

Even though samples developed at Avani had yarn slippage issues, they are represented here for the sake of completing the collection.

Designed for elegant evening soirées, textile for the cocktail dress was handwoven in Uttarakhand using 60s Eri and 2/64 Nm Merino wool. Yarns were naturally dyed in a combination of Indigo and Lac. Differences in tonality and lustre inspired the alternating bands of violets, minimally punctuated by orange stripes of handspun Eri, dyed with Kesuda flowers (Flame of the Forest).

Above: 120 Nm Merino wool + 20/22 D Mulberry silk, Extra weft motifs in Merino wool

Sleeveless, Nawabi Angarkha inspired top and pleated culottes make for a fuss-free ensemble, for a night of letting loose in style. The minimal wool-silk, Jamdani top was set with closely spaced, thin stripes of silver zari – adding an edge to the sensual translucency with some metallic glamour.

Textile for the culottes, handcrafted in Uttarakhand, uses the indigenous overshot pattern weaving technique of Almora. Tone on tone combination of 2/64 Nm Merino wool in the warp and 60s Eri silk in the weft rendered the pattern into subtle and lustrous textures, delicately floating on the surface of wool.