fashion, design and old world charm
We’ve all heard of recycling and upcycling, recreating new garments with the old. Following the same principle, there exists an eclectic, beautiful textured handloom textile that is literally a saree recreated by scraps of older sarees! The process is fascinating yet simple…
The warp is with new yarn and the weft is with strips of thin cloth obtained by tearing old sarees length wise. For non textile experts, this simply means that long, thin strips of cloth cut from old … Read Full
I’ve always had a thing for ayurvedic, organic, all natural skincare. When I was younger (read: had a lot more free time), I had this phase where I’d only use things from the kitchen for my face – which was quite an elaborate, Cleopatra-esque routine. Nowadays I fall for naturalist marketing, delicious fragrances and lovely packaging all too easily – but we all must know this, the rules in India for publishing every single ingredient on the product are very … Read Full
Everyone wants a piece of the whole gingham and checks hullaboo across runways, designers and department stores! Well, Indian Handlooms have been there and been doing that since a long time now, and what a cool, comfortable drape the gamcha check is!
Gamcha – a word often associated with towels – is a handloom textile woven in north eastern India. Thrown on the shoulder, wrapped around the head or waist, the cotton cloth with a mix of checks and stripes, … Read Full
This picture is ironic on many, many levels.
What it’s called on the package: carmine, crimson lake, carmine lake, cochineal, natural red 4, C.I. 75470, E120
What it actually is: Carmine is a red pigment made from crushing female cochineal beetles, and it reportedly takes 70,000 dead insects to make one pound of red dye. Helps to achieve red shades in make up.
Where it may be lurking: makeup, particularly in red lipsticks, blushers and nailpaint.
A shocking list of … Read Full
I’ve stumbled upon treasure for crafty, eco-fashion loving designers, artists and hobby enthusiasts! KnitSilk.com and their page on Elanic now sell beautifully textured handspun saree silk yarn, and it’s perfect for all kinds of knitting, crochet, decorative and jewellery projects. Here’s what it’s all about;
… Read FullThis yarn is also known as the Himalayan Sari Silk Yarn made from Sari Silk Fiber. During the making of Saris in India, a lot of small finer threads of various colours are left over
In the face of the ugly truth behind the beauty industry, our country recently became the first country in South Asia to ban the testing of cosmetics, soaps and household detergents (and its ingredients) on animals. Yes, that means every cosmetic product or brand of Indian origin that you purchase would be cruelty free!
What is the big deal about cruelty-free though?
Almost every major make up brand (L’Oreal, Mac, Maybelline, Bobbi Brown and more) resting in your dresser reaches … Read Full
Stoles are the easiest way to incorporate handcrafted textiles into your daily wardrobe if going all-the-way traditional is not your thing. A series of daily outfit details from my internship at Please Touch The Handloom Experience at Artisans’ Kalaghoda.
Wearing handcrafted and handloom textiles is so much more than just Indian-ized styling. It’s promoting and preserving a craft heritage spanning centuries, it’s empowering artisans, weavers and craftsmen from the remotest corners of the country, it’s protecting a glorious culture and … Read Full
The saree is not just a symbol of Indian-ness, but of endless possibilities!
How versatile a drape it is, molding itself to every size that a woman can be… Adding curves and skimming lines everywhere it travels round the body, sensual and practical, stylish and comfortable all at the same time.
Millennials today grew up seeing our mothers carry them off with effortless grace, I think…… Read Full