Purushu Arie was founded as a fashion blog in 2009 while Purushu was studying fashion design at NIFT New Delhi. In 2017, Purush Arie's blog evolved into India's 1st exclusively ungendered clothing label. Purushu spoke about gender neutral revolution through fashion at TEDxChennai in March 2018. Purushu's signature silhouettes include tailored lungis and saris. Purushu Arie designs with the ethos of sustainable intersectional inclusivity that defies gender, caste, & class status quo.

India Can Emerge As the Saviour of Couture on a Global Scale

Fashion pundits in Western world are talking about how couture is a dying art. On the flipside, couture week is a relatively a young concept in India that was born barely a decade ago. Indian subcontinent is known for age-old textile craft techniques and even ready-to-wear runways have often featured painstakingly created artisanal pieces. The first edition of India Couture Week, a platform to celebrate India’s opulent artisanal heritage happened in September 2008 and since then it has grown by leaps & bounds. Today, Indian couture has the potential to emerge as the saviour of savoir-faire craftsmanship on a global scale.

 

The economic recession of 2000s had the biggest impact on fashion in recent years like no other socio-cultural phenomenon. Those were alarming times when even Christian Lacroix’s iconic couture label collapsed. The economic slowdown coinciding with the rise of social media fuelled the growth of fast fashion culture with extremely minimalist aesthetics. Since then, global runways have increasingly evolved with a phobia for intricate artisanal detailing. Not using artisans judiciously results in fading of talent pool. Artisans abandoning ateliers for other source of income kills skill.

“Once you start losing all those artisans that knew how to make those things, it’s like cutting down a forest. It’s not going to grow back.”  – Daphne Guinness

It is widely regarded that couture is now reduced to a form of advertising while brands depend on prêt, fragrance and accessory range for revenue.  Is it too late to say sorry? The Indian story can perhaps radiate hopes of a new beginning. The culture of exclusive artisanal clothing existed in India much before the existence of strict French laws that lay regulations of what can qualify as (haute) couture. It’s because of the same historic cultural values that myriad of textile crafts were preserved and passed on through generations in India. In spite of the rise of machinery and fast fashion brands, the desire for exclusive handcraft and royalty never died in the country that was once stereotyped as the land of Maharajas. The concept of “couture week” was newly born in Indian subcontinent at a time when fashion gurus elsewhere expressed concerns over the future of Parisian Haute couture. While couture is reduced to a service offered by handful in West, the service is now emerging as a full-fledged industry in Indian subcontinent.

 

Haute Couture sits on top of hierarchy pyramid laying foundation to every technique we know in fashion. Slow death of couture is directly responsible for the rising lack of direction in today’s fashion industry. Haute Couture has picked up momentum in recent years. Thanks to pioneers like Viktor & Rolf duo who merged fashion and art like never before by dressing up models in canvas art frames. John Galliano went on to use hand painted fabrics for Margiela’s recent artisanal collection. In an attempt to safeguard craft, Chanel has recently acquired eleven traditional maisons that were previously facing the threat of extinction. Sourcing craftsmen to keep ateliers alive has become a tricky task in West. In contrast, Indian government in collaboration with various NGOs have done a better job in protecting indigenous textile crafts. Indian textile ministry has set up Weavers Service Center to train young artisans with focus on not only skill but post-modernist design aesthetics. In recent years, Fashion Design Council of India has dedicated fashion week grand finales to the craft instead of one big designer name. Indian fashion industry has ensured that consumers haven’t forgotten the importance of textile crafts in realm of fashion. The recently concluded India Couture Week stood testimony to the rich artisanal heritage that won’t be forgotten anytime soon in India. With new patrons of Haute Couture emerging from the Eastern land, this might not be a goodbye after all.

 

FOOTNOTES: ART & CRAFT AT INDIA COUTURE WEEK 2016

Anamika Khanna FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft

Anamika Khanna FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Anita Dongre India Couture Week Textile Craft

Anita Dongre FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Gaurav Gupta FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft

Gaurav Gupta FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Manav Gangwani FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft embroidery

Manav Gangwani FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Manav Gangwani FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft

Manav Gangwani FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft 1

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft 3

Manish Malhotra FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft 2

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft Kanishta Dhankar

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016 Textile Craft

Rohit Bal FDCI India Couture Week 2016

 

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week Textile Craft couple

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week 2016

 

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week Textile Craft wedding bride

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week 2016

 

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week Textile Craft

Tarun Tahiliani India Couture Week 2016

3 Comments
  • Sravya
    Reply
    September 26, 2016

    Awesome design…., i really like those design

  • Mumtaj Anarkali
    Reply
    November 14, 2016

    PURUSHU ARIE, Indian designers have developed ultimate styles. They have developed latest embellishments and mixing those with our traditional crafts. Images re excellent. XoXo

  • February 1, 2017

    India has a long way to go but I guess the couture week is a really good start. Need to see how it grows.

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