Project Brief: Craft research and documentation in Himachal Pradesh
Craft plays an integral role in the life of a community, as it passes on from generation to generation, like stories of the culture itself. Through this course, we studied the craft of knitting in the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh, with a focus on knitted socks. The craft was studied across various elements like its origin, characteristics, and socio-cultural and economic relevance.
We aimed to find the relationship of the craft with the community and understand its roots. The methodology we followed consisted of semi-structured interviews with groups of artisans, followed by narrative analysis. This was then reflected in the emotional connection of the artisans with their work in our design solution. Over ten days, we spent time with over seventy artisans who helped us learn about their craft, shared their stories and gave us an honest look at the stakeholders that affect their craft. We called our document 'Churpe', which translates to smile in their local language.
[Primary and secondary research, documentation, visual identity, print and packaging design, problem-solving]
Our research was compiled in a document and submitted to the Ministry of Textiles, GoI as a part of our coursework through NIFT. The following pages are an overview of our research process, the problems we identified in the field and the branding solution we developed.
The proposed solution was to provide a brand for the Lady of Keylong, giving the self-help groups under the umbrella brand recognition for their craft. While we worked on the identity, there were stages of exploration and feedback received from our mentor and Ms.Poonam Paul that guided our design process. We created a visual identity and packaging, proposing a system shift online and promotion through exhibitions like 'Knitting Hands' to preserve the craft.
We are currently extending this project with web design and an e-commerce platform.
A few mockups of print and digital applications of the identity
