Designer Shravan Kummar and his latest collection. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“Fashion for me is my religion, it is in my blood, emotions and cells of my body,” says Hyderabad-based fashion designer Shravan Kummar, who was recently in Bengaluru to promote his latest collection..
Titled ‘Banglore to Belgium – tassels, threads and tradition’, the collection was unveiled on timeThe launch of the Indian Craft Brewery (ICB), witnessed Ilkal embroidery from Karnataka and Mata ni Pachedi, a traditional form of textile art from Gujarat and many Banarasi textiles.
“From the timeless beauty of Banaras and Ilkal of Karnataka to the storytelling art of Mata ni Pachedi and Kalamkari, our handwoven textiles pay homage to centuries of craftsmanship. Each piece is a blend of tradition and modern luxury, designed to complement the contemporary global aesthetic,” says Shravan.
“These are saris that can be worn with boots and hot pants. My motto is ‘wear the sari, save the weaver’. Even if I make a lehenga today, I will make it in a sari so that the weavers can find work,” she adds.
For Shravan, showcasing his collection at ICB was symbolic as this collaboration was a seamless combination of two visionaries committed to reviving India’s heritage while embracing innovation. “ICB, with its journey to bring craft beers from Belgium to Bengaluru, reflects the spirit of the Yatra.”
The origin story
Shravan, who would become a doctor, completed his degree at the London School of Fashion Designing where he studied color psychology and fashion psychology, “I came back and I want to renew that here.”
From his latest collection. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Ever since he became a designer in 1996, with his sister Jyothi Jaisooria, Shravan has been an advocate for weavers, who kept coming up throughout our conversation. “I work with about 3,800 widows in and around India; we give them the charkhaand they called us a card.”
“Unfortunately in our country, a lot of weavers do not get the compensation they deserve, because there are many intermediaries involved and end up being exploited,” he said.
Shravan believes that although the government is working to help the weavers, much more needs to be done. “The government has given them access and funding, but I believe they have not been used properly or encouraged.”
He also pointed out that people should choose for themselves when they buy a dress. “If you spend five days weaving a sari and try to sell it for R1700 in the market, many buyers will try to lower the price – something they would not do in a high-end shop in town.”
The options are many
For Shravan, the sari is the centerpiece of all his collections. “A sari is a very forgiving garment — from a woman who is nine months pregnant, to someone who has lost 40 kilograms — it looks good on everyone. Kanjivaram, mangalgiri, gadwal – India is home to more than 900 types of saris, and there is no shortage of ways to pull them off.”
Talking about some of the fabrics under India, he adds, “There are many weaves that people don’t know about. For example, there are Baluchari from Bishnupur district in West Bengal and morangfai saris from Assam. Many do not even know whether saris come from Nagaland or the north-east belt.”
Shravan, who is known for his work of reviving old fabrics, shared a tip on how to take care of old saris. Tie a few peppercorns and cloves in a breathable fabric like a mulmul and place it between your silk saris; it will remove the termite from the cloth.”
Summarizing his journey as a designer over the past 24 years, he says, “I don’t think I’ve done much honestly; we can learn a lot from this story.”
Published – January 07, 2025 12:28 pm IST