It’s tough to explain the allure of indigo. Those who nurture a never-waning romance with the deep-hued pigment, over time, begin to learn about its significance in textile history. A few seasons ago, the retail sector witnessed a deluge of collections in indigo. Some used synthetic indigos and a few others used the natural dye.
Looking at both online and offline players exploit the indigo wave to the hilt, one wondered if there was room for any further experimentation. Hyderabad-based textile designer Gaurang Shah is ready to showcase newer possibilities with indigo at Lakme Fashion Week Spring/Summer on February 2.
Unveiling ‘Neel’
Giving us a sneak preview of his line that’s aptly titled ‘Neel’, he displays a range of weaves and techniques that use indigo. Ajrakh block prints, chikankari embroidered kurtas and saris, kalamkari, jamdhani on fine count khadi from Bengal, Benaras saris using organzas, Maheshwari silks with bandhani, kota cottons, double ikat from Koyyalagudem in Andhra Pradesh, patola from Patan, Parsi-embroidered ensembles, Dhakai jamdani saris… the entire range uses indigo. Threads dyed in indigo are used for chikankari embroidery, ajrakh block prints carry an indigo hue, kalamkari patterns have lighter and darker tones of the pigment, smaller patterns dyed in indigo are visible from within a red canvas of double ikat Patola, and bird motifs or delicate embroidery on the border of a creamy-white sari add a touch of indigo elsewhere.
Neel isn’t about applying indigo to any yarn or textile at random. Gaurang’s team prepared a shade card — light, medium and dark tones — and tapped artisans who specialised in creating specific hues. The indigo from Andhra is different from Gujarat, which again differs from that of Bengal. The season and quality of water result in different shades. “The indigo we usually see in kalamkari from Tirupati is derived from indigo cake and is inky blue. But we wanted tonal variations and asked them to use natural pigments,” explains Gaurang.
Dream project
This experiment with dyes has resulted in a lot of learning, which Gaurang and his team are putting to good use for a pet project — they are working on recreating 54 paintings of Raja Ravi Varma on saris. They aren’t looking at the easy method of screen-printing the paintings on textiles. The idea is to recreate the paintings on sari pallus through weaving, with all the light and shade from the painting translated on cloth!
