Shalini Saksena, in Guwahati to cover the Rongali Mahotsava, talks to Assamese designers about what fashion means to locals
Fashion is not about whether a particular dress is beautiful. It is about how good one looks when it is worn. “If a person walks up to you and says you are looking beautiful in a dress, that is fashion and a compliment to the garment and your style. It is like food which is about taste. A dish can look as beautiful as it wants to but if it is not tasty it has no value,” Saumar Sharma, a NIFT Delhi grad tells you who after spending 20 years in the fabric industry and designing. He now deals with handloom fabrics from all over the country.
For designers like Swarnapori Phukan, who have been in the industry for over just five years, platforms like Rongali are an opportunity to showcase their work and come into the limelight. Her designs are inspired by the traditional Assamese wear using muga. “There is a message in the collection that was shown here. I have used the traditional attire of the region— mekhala chadar — and given a different design element to it so that it can spread to other parts of the country as well,” Phukan says.
She tells you that people in Assam are extremely fashionable even though mekhala chadar is of great importance. With more and more designers now showing their work in the State, there is a twist to the dress style. “There is a great fusion that is happening here. Silk, muga, is indigenous to us. The use of different colours is given rise to experimentation with silk. There is ethic fusion — one can make a gown, a lehenga and of course the mekhala chadar, Phukan explains and opines that while the youth is comfortable wearing silk and cotton what matters to them more is the style and the design.
The reason why it is difficult for designers like Phukan to come out and showcase their work on platforms like Delhi Fashion Show or even Mumbai is that they are unable to find the link that will propel them on to such a large platform.
Agrees Abhijit Das who is all about designing traditional attire. In fact, he is known for his traditional fashion sense. His entry into the world of fashion was by chance. A model before he started designing full-time, he tells you that since he had a creative bent of mind, designing coming to him comes from purely what he thinks will look good. “People in Assam are becoming fashion conscious and want to look good. Hence they are looking for designers who can create a wow factor piece. Of course, there are people who come up with their own designs, in that case we take their advise but if we feel that it needs a twist given the customer’s body type, we do make the change since at the end, fashion is about looking good and we too need to give our best,” Das says, who has showcased his designs in Delhi as well.
He tells you that people in Delhi are looking for western styles. “ Back home, people want traditional style. Therefore my forte lies in creating an attire that is traditional in design but has a westerner style to it, but I don’t want to lose originality,” Das tells you who loves to work with muga.
Interestingly, he tells you that there is a reason why designers like him can’t keep their pricing too high. “If the garments are very expensive my client base will be small. So when a customer comes to me I do ask what the budget it. Garments made from muga are expensive but the same can be made using path (eri silk). The cost then halves,” Das says and adds that he can create pieces for people in Delhi but it will take a bit longer — to understand what the client sitting here in Guwahati— will take time.
No garment is complete without accessories. There is nothing better than jewellery to enhance the dress that one is wearing. And what better way to do say by using the material that is abundantly found in the State — bamboo. Yes, that is correct, there are designers like Dr Elina Talukdar, a practising Ayurveda doctor from lakhimpur, Assam who are using the plant to make beautiful and intricate jewellery.
It was by chance that she got into using bamboo for making jewellery. “A lot of bamboo furniture is made in my region. I also have a lot of free time on my hands. One day I came across small pieces of bamboo and that got me thinking. This gave birth to bamboo jewellery. This was a few years back but from the minute I started people loved what they saw and there has been no looking back,” Dr Elina says who is now exporting the jewellery which is environmental friendly as well.
Of course, the work is intricate and time-consuming since each piece is handmade. Also, it is extremely delicate — each piece is woven into the other using bamboo thread. “Just to make the thread it takes time. So there is an assembly line. Each worker has an assigned job. Otherwise, it will be impossible to make these in bulk,” Dr Elina explains
The good part is that it is not expensive. A pair of earring cost around Rs 120 while an anklet around Rs 150. The whole set — the neck piece and earring cost starts from Rs 350 and goes up depending on how intricate the design is.
Festivals like Rongali give her a chance to bring her work to the wider customer base and give an alternative to the youth who can is looking for an inexpensive yet fashionable accessory. “The fact that is is beautiful too means that there are many buyers— local and outside too,” Dr Elina says.