A process of concept development was done by learning and understanding the city of Ahmedabad in different contexts and a narrative was developed in relation to the city and its culture. The context of this project is to study a cultural feature of Ahmedabad and derive a color and material palette which would help in interpreting ideas from the narrative to develop textile surfaces and products. Thus, to bring about a cultural element while creating new designs by the use of material, structure, construction and fundamentals of design through a process of explorations.
Moodboard & color palette
My narrative is a non-linear one which comprises of the folk communities of the land, represented here by the Rabaris (pastoral cattle herders), a tailor( locally called a darji) who is a skilled professional running a micro enterprise and the cloth market (locally called the chindi market) all linked and dependent on each other by fabric.
Using the chindis sold at Chindi market and incorporating the skill set and techniques used by a tailor, the following set of rhythms and compositions were explored.
Attribute - The use of bright and colourful printed textile as a ‘potli’ whose print is reversible too.
Concept - To interpret the reusability of chindis by using various sewing and tailoring techniques as a medium of joinery to develop new surfaces.
Material - Printed and non-printed cotton fabric chindis.
Concept - To interpret the reusability of chindis by using various sewing and tailoring techniques as a medium of joinery to develop new surfaces.
Material - Printed and non-printed cotton fabric chindis.
Contrasting printed fabrics of blues and pinks has been used to make this bold rhythm.
Reverse- Two fold seam has been used to join and finish the edges.
Reverse- Two fold seam has been used to join and finish the edges.
A bold rhythm has been explored with a combination of blue and black printed fabrics which transforms into a very interesting rhythm of narrow stripes on the reverse side. Two fold seam along with hand tucking has been used.
A composition of different types of black and white chindis with an accent of a pink colored stain ribbon.
A busy black and white composition made mostly from printed chindis which are stripes, jaals and butis.
Trims are applied ornamentations used in enhancing the beauty of apparels and home textiles. The Rabaris too, use trims like ric-racs, ribbons and buttons extensively to decorate there otherwise, simple and modest garments.
The rhythm explored here is bold where the spots, stripes and plain chindis are primarily distinct, however with a special concentration of the dark black background which gradually crosses over into thin stripes and is completely lost in the plain white background. The buttons used here are ornamental as well as functional.
Simple arrangement of ric-racs stitched close together vertically, on sheer organdy to create a tone on tone rhythm.
Detail
Transparent buttons have been used as ornamentation here on a bright printed textile surface.
