Young Designers 2011

		Young Designers 2011
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Linda Lee | Lee.Linda02@gmail.Com

‘Devyani, Invoking the Goddess Within’ Collection 2011

Apparel Design and Merchandising | PGDPD
Guide: Amit Sinha;Sonal Chauhan
Sponsor: Upasana Design Studio, Auroville

Keywords
Integral design
Glocal
Cultural communication
Hand-woven

I had to create a collection by infusing the power of cultural communication through Indian textiles and modern design approach, which is comfortable and effortlessly stylish. I drew inspiration from the bindu (dot), the symbol of Upasana. Bindu is the point of creation, the invocation of Devi Mahatmya, which encompasses many aspects of the one presiding female force - one truth and many expressions. Thus, the collection is called Devyani.

Each look has its own style and story and caters to women of all shapes and sizes. Looks have been created for larger women keeping in mind their body type, comforts and discomforts. The collection infuses the astute of design, the quixotic of art and the discipline of nature. The hand-woven range is for the socially and ecologically conscious modern global woman; a woman who is a goddess.
Upasana finds itself through creativity and integral design, which embodies truth, goodness, beauty and expresses the delight of being. My research included trend forecasting to provide key directions for the collection in terms of the colour story, material exploration and silhouette exploration. By providing the market with a product that bridges the gap between tradition and modern conscious ways of living, the project seeks to bring recognition to Indian weavers.

This was my first step towards ‘Design for Good’ for not just the consumer but also the environment and humanity. The system taught me to think from micro to macro level and apply that thinking to providing solutions in design as well as simple situations that need attention. I am proud to have contributed to the empowerment of Varanasi’s weavers. Working on this project has made me physiologically, sociologically, environmentally and spiritually more sensitive and aware.