Anju Modi uses miniature art in her textiles to redefine couture. By Debasrita Chakraborty
Designer Anju Modi is redefining couture by drawing inspiration from the Kishangarh school of miniature paintings and bringing alive the high-browed women on the ramp with a contemporary twist. Drawing heavily on the Radha Krishna series of paintings, she has recast them in contemporary silhouettes to appeal to all kinds of women, from the bride to the bridesmaid, in her ceremonial line.
She takes her story to Sunehri Kothi, a make believe haveli resplendent with doe eyed beauties who graced the rich miniature art from the Kishangarh school. Anju Modi, costumer, couturier and an enthusiast of vintage design once again dips into the glorious past. For the winter of 2017 she recreates a mystical Sunehri Kothi (Golden chalet), resplendent with waif like muses dressed in slender, exotic Indian costume akin to those that graced the miniature art of 16 century Rajasthan, especially Kishangarh. Very significantly, this collection builds on bravery, honour, chivalry and virtues that Rajputana culture has been known for. Modi says, “It’s called Sunehri Kothi, inspired by the miniature paintings of Krishangarh. It is very fragile and delicate. And brings out the grandeur of Rajasthan.”
Recreating the era of miniature art from Kishangarh, Modi relives the mystique of the Radha with her sharp aquiline features, dressed in diaphanous lehengas made from hand woven textiles and worn with fitted and resplendent blouses. She takes the cue from architectural and artistic influences of the craft of meenakari, the intricate and detailed brushwork, the remnants of the colours — handmade from minerals, vegetables, indigo, conch shells, and embellished with precious stones, pure gold and silver.
She further shares, “It portrays our Indian heritage ethos, the revival of beautiful fabrics and the embroidery techniques along with the kind of cultural bugal butas and tree of lives which are there in our art burnt. I have used them into prints, embroideries and zardozi.
“Traveling through Rajasthan, the land of the kings, I found myself on a road less taken to a humble yet resolute mansion, the Sunehri Kothi. Weathered and rugged exteriors did little to give away the grandeur of what was once a Golden Chalet. In this collection I bring alive its gold emblazoned interiors and intricate architectural detail, allowing a peak into the Sunehri Kothi that also emerged in the miniature art forms of that region.”
On an individual’s personal dressing style, Modi feels that, “It says how subtle, outspoken, confident a person is. The attire tells a little about the person. A very bold person will dress boldly whereas a quiet and shy person will dress differently.”
She feels that while the designers have been recognised by the government, there is a need to recognise their contribution to the country. “Indian designers are now recognised and respected by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and the government. So it’s high time now that they recognise our contribution towards the art and textile world as well as our works on revival of historic and repertory of print, textile zardozi, which is our cultural treasure. All the designers are doing a lot of patriotic work along with fulfilling our passion for design.” History continues to unravel in her ethereal designs as the mystique of heritage continues to inspire Modi.
Designer, Rohit Bal too is showcasing his collection Khush Posh for the India Couture Week 2017. The collection aims at reviving heritage pieces from costume collections of the Mughals. The collection is an ode to lost craft and tradition. A journey from the past to the present with a gentle hint of contemporary influences.
Modi has used a lot of pastel colours and natural fibers. She says, “I use natural fibre which is mostly organic. The colour composition is very Indian along with the pastel shades. I always choose colours according to the theme and story. This particular collection has got a very colourful and unique combination after burning the midnight oil for 400 days.”
Modi has also worked in Bollywood and her dresses in Bajirao Mastani made quite a splash. “The two industries are poles apart and working in the film industry was really evolving. I learned a lot from the wonderful people there, the cinematographer, the choreographer, Sanjay leela Bhansali himself and even the actors. I had to travel a lot to do my research in the museums and to all the remote corners of the country to develop the attires depending upon the characters. Film industry provides a huge scope for experiment and I am glad to be a part of it,” she says.