The story of Chanderi weaves is as ethereal as their appearance. The fabric first rose to prominence in India around the 11th century. Since then it has evolved after passing through generations and generations of Indian artisans and weaver families. That said, the fabric remains as exquisite as ever. To date, the true beauty of Chanderi lies in the fact that each and every single loom that goes into its making happens to be a handloom.
As you can tell, the tale of Chanderi is woven in time, tradition, and just a little bit of magic. The last ingredient, however, is typical to every single handloom fabric in India. To celebrate the ethereal beauty and the undeniable allure of Indian handicrafts, we are observing a handloom week this August through a series, titled Seven Days of Handloom. Through this series, we’d introduce you to Indian designers who are working to preserve and reinvent the Indian handlooms.
We are starting the series with Chanderi–a fabric that is almost a paradox owing to the fact that it is as delicate as it is strong. We reached out to designer Archana Jaju and talked to her about her work on Chanderi and Indian handloom.
Chanderi: A Childhood Tale
It isn’t too much of a surprise that Archana has immense love for Indian handloom given that she hails from a family that has a history of Chanderi weaving. In fact, her family was among the first ones to weave the fabric in India. However, Archana’s Chanderi connection goes beyond that. She is also married into a family that deals in textiles. The love for the loom thus comes naturally to Archana. She has always been passionate about it. However, as she shares, it was actually her father-in-law who encouraged her to pursue this passion. “My father-in-law really encouraged me to pursue what I am truly passionate about. This is what inspired me to lay my foundation in the fashion industry. My aim has always been to create pieces which are really unique and represent the beautiful handicrafts of India,” shares Archana.
Re-inventing The Indian Handloom
Archana has been working with a variety of beautiful Indian crafts and with artisans from different craft clusters across India. The aim is to focus on bringing India’s fine craftsmanship into everyday wear. She looks at handloom as something beyond occasion wear. Handloom is beautiful, it is sustainable, it is profound–then why can’t it be worn in our daily lives anyway. “The core of my brand is to promote the artisans and embrace the original techniques of creating fabrics. We aim to create pieces that have a special blend of traditional handicrafts and the contemporary style. This is what makes us unique and distinguishes us from the rest,” says Archana.
Archana aims to bring in the profound grandeur and the vibrancy of colours in every creation of her brand. “Though the overall aesthetic has gone under a few transformations over the years, I maintain the Indian roots as the traditional patterns. Hence, my signature attires always have a touch of the diverse Indian handlooms due to the emotional bond I share with them,” she adds.
Credit Where Credit Is Due
According to Archana, it is essentially the artisans who make her brand what it is. “It is through their skills and talent that the ideas can be executed so well and that is what truly inspires me. My brand too works with different craft clusters of India to amalgamate their exceptional art into creating authentic pieces and reimaging designs through the rich traditions of these states,” she explains.
She is currently working with artisans from 17 craft clusters across including Kalamkari from Sri Kalahasti in South India, Bandhani from Kutch, Lucknowi from Lucknow, ParsiGara from the remote interiors of Bengal, Khadi from Srikakulam; Venkatagiri, Kanjeevarams from Chennai and Benarasis from Varanasi. They have been working for Archana’s family for over twenty years now. Their skillful art and techniques have been passed down over generations which fabricates the true creative essence of Acrhana’s brand.
The Future Is Handmade
The pandemic posed a huge challenge for the Indian artisans and the handloom industry in general. However, there is also a flip side to this coin. It shifted our perspective on fashion and gave so many of us a lesson in what is truly important. This is exactly why Archana feels that we are finally on the right track. “The future for the Indian handloom industry would be more aligned to bringing its elegant pieces back rather than following the global trends. The looks would need to be more functional and comfort-orientated as people have started opting for sensible fashion which would look more organic yet modern, easy to match aesthetic with. Hence, I feel the younger or the upcoming generation would definitely appreciate the handlooms of India which consist of aesthetics and functionality both,” she concludes.
Featured Image: Archana Jaju
