Monday, November 3, 2008

Khadi’s Arrival in Fashion World

Khadi’s journey into the world of fashion began with khadi show which was presented in Mumbai by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). It was organized in 1989 and the real highlight was showcase of 85 dazzling garments, created by Devika Bhojwani. It was an interesting mix of eastern and western attire. Famous designer Ritu Kumar presented her first Khadi collection at the Crafts Museum in 1990. It was also an informative show because of her unique Tree of Life show. It was actually an audio visual tableau which displayed historical journey of textiles in India, the creators of textiles and design lexicon of the country. She also presented talents of those who have been instrumental in regenerating textile crafts and the potential users of the garments.

Her show was a big hit and in fact so big that it has been presented several times. This show was also presented in London in1997 where khadi managed to fascinate British as well. Today, khadi’s popularity is such that it’s a must part of every fashion conscious person’s wardrobe. With changing times people have started to adopt retro fashion and in that case khadi leads the pack.

Kamal Wadkar is another renowned promoter of khadi clothes. She is involved with traditional crafts. According to him, khadi is also the ideal fabric considering Indian climate because of its cool texture and loose weaving. He is credited to present almost 4500 garments in 150 styles in different colors weaves and embellishment with prices ranging from Rs.460-750. She had also aptly titled her exhibition ‘Elegance in Khadi’.