For the Graduation project, I wanted to explore the craft-based printing techniques of India involving natural dyes, which need constant exploration and experimentation. So, I decided to do my Graduation Project with Fabindia. Fabindia follows an inclusive model of capitalism, placing craft at the centre of the quest for profit and growth. Fabindia completed 60 years of its existence in 2021. By celebrating such a big milestone in their timeline the company aims to produce a new identity of the brand. The idea is to give the brand a more contemporary design language (more in line with Millenials) and at the same time conserve the brand's classic design aesthetics. The idea behind this project was to celebrate the 60 years of Fabindia. I reflected upon the history of design and designers at Fabindia. The first ever designer who was called on board to design a print collection for the first-ever retail store in 1976 was Riten Mazumdar. So the key inspiration for the collection was Riten Mazumdar. He was one of the most significant artist-designer of India’s modernist design renaissance. Best remembered for his contribution to the world of design. He emphasised engagement with heritage as well as arts and crafts as integral to an all-round design ideology. He being a sculptor worked extensively with wood-block printing. Throughout his career, he worked with Lineal block carvers and Printers from Rajasthan and Delhi. He adopted traditional blocks to create contemporary motifs. This led to the decision of using the hand block printing technique as the medium of the project and using natural dyes/colours of Rajasthan inspired by the colour palette he used. Using geometrical shapes in bold and colourful blocks and silkscreen he created a line of household linen for Fabindia that became hugely successful and synonymous with the Fabindia ethos.
