|
|
|
|
Apparel Design and Merchandising
| PGDPD |
|
divyabhatt3@gmail.com |
| |
|
Stitch in Time
|
|
|
|
Guide Paresh Chatterjee |
|
Sponsonr Aditya Enterprises, Mumbai
|
|
|
|
|
For my project, I designed a collection for the Spring-Summer 2010 women’s wear line for the domestic market. Aditya Enterprises had launched an in-house domestic design label “The Apple Tree” which focuses on catering to the Western prêt segment in women’s wear. The theme was ‘Africa’ as per prevailing fashion forecasts. This was the company’s first ever domestic line. The emphasis was on creating a ‘sustainable feel’ to it, meaning the creation of a style which does not pander to the whims of ever changing fashion but instead stays in the wardrobe of the wearer for a long time.
Africa is a huge continent with immense cultural diversity. My research started with the initial study of understanding the continent as a whole. I then identified one particular region, the Kingdom of Kuba, Congo which is world famous for their age-old textile called ‘Shoowa’.
Shoowa textile has an organic old-world feel. It is simultaneously bold and intricate, dramatic and subdued, irregular and ordered as well as asymmetrical and balanced. In all cases, designs are fluid, visually engaging and full of surprises. The two major elements of Shoowa are geometry and contrast. My collection was inspired by the concept of ‘scarification’ (body adornment of the Kuba tribe).
The most valuable learning I have acquired from this project has been an understanding of the cultural influences, scientific thoughts, beliefs, biological evolution and climatic requirements which go into the development of a legendary craft, spanning hundreds of years. |
|
|
|
