Textile Swatches

CHANEL Paris-Bombay Pre Fall 2012

'The mix of English chic with Indian influence is something very elegant', Karl Lagerfeld when explaining the idea behind his Paris-Bombay Metiers d'Art 2011/12 shown earlier this week at the Grand Palais in Paris.

The Metiers d'Art show is Chanel's annual show that is a tribute to the gifted craftspeople that produce the amazing workmanship apparent in Chanel products. In 1997 Chanel acquired 7 craft workshops or ateliers including- Maison Desrues (buttonmakers), Maison Lemarie (feathers and plumage), Lesage (embroidery), Massaro (couture shoemaker), MaisonMichel (hatmakers), Goossens (jewellers) and Guillet (floral presentations).

The collection exemplified the elegance and savoir faire of Parisian fashion and Chanel's ateliers combined with the rich, artisanal works of India. Combinations of classic Chanel tweed jackets with Nehru collars with raw silk tunics; metallic evening gowns cut to look like saris and Parisian tailoring all heavily decorated with intricate embroidery. The collection displayed true qualities of design and craftsmanship.

Here's a short video of the atelier of embroidery Lesage and button-maker Desrues working on the Paris-Bombay collection.

 

The Insider's Outsider - The intelligent, artistic fashion of Dries Van Noten

Since my days at F.I.T., I've admired the simplicity and cleverness of the fashion of Dries Van Noten. Reading this article in WSJ I realize that his fashion and aesthetic is very reflective of his philosophy relating to fashion and design. He is a purist, resisting being too commercial and in his words,"Personally I think there is too much fashion in the world." While reading the article, I realized that I share his beliefs in many ways.

When starting my fabric company, I had a similar thought there is too much textile in the world and I need to have a reason for bringing another product line of 'stuff' to the market. My underlying mission and 'raison d'etre' is to support artisans and crafts and through my work and to create new viewpoints and markets for crafts.

Urban Studio at Le Mill

Download Urban Studio

We will be at Le Mill in Mumbai next week. On December 8,9.10 and 11, 2011. 

This will be the launch of the availability of our Fabric-by-the-Yard at Le Mill.

If in Mumbai, stop by and say hello!

Le Mill

Nandlal Jani Road, Off P Dmello Road

Next to Wadi Bunder Railway Bridge

T. 022.2374 2415

 

Our current inspirations

The new collection is well underway and is coming along well.

Here are some images of our current inspirations...

In India

The business is growing, we've had such a wonderful response to our textiles. I feel I need to spend more time expanding my production base. My favorite part of the process is working with the craftspeople and being inspired by the amazing creativity and magic in their hands...

So here I am- on a sabbatical in Bangalore... very exciting!!! It's been 10 years since I lived here. Since I had my weaving studio and was in daily contact with looms and weavers. 

There have been plenty of visits, but it's nice to have the feeling of 'being back home'. 

Check back in for images and visuals from our trip- what inspires us and new designs in process.

 

The hats and the whimsy!

 
 
Hats, used primarily as head coverings, have been around for a long, long time. Women, from the early days were expected to have their heads covered by veils, hoods, etc. It was not until the end of the 16th century that women's structured hats started to be seen, and in the late 17th century women's headgear started to be seen as fashion. The word, 'milliner', a maker of women's hats originated from the city of Milan, where the best quality hats were made in the 18th century.

The hats at the Royal Wedding were fabulous and so whimsical. Here are some of my favorites...

Knitting- spotted on the streets!

Enjoying a wonderful Spring weekend in Boston with my young daughter, we were walking around our neighborhood after getting some yummy yogurt at Pinkberry, when we spotted these...

 

We came across these wonderful, quirky, whimsical, humorous knitted animals and flowers decorating the street barricades. We don't know who created them, but they brought a smile to my daughter's face, sparked her imagination and gave her a sense of wonder.