Payal Khandwala showcased a limited edition of Jamdani saris this year at Lakme Fashion Week as a part of a very special show All About India which focuses on the importance of artisans and the crafts of India.
The limited release of jamdani saris woven by hand in silk is an exploration of a craft typically woven in fine muslin on handlooms.
The central idea was to rethink a skill in a context that was entirely new. To this end, not only are they woven in our signature colour-blocked silks, the scale of the traditional motifs which are typically smaller, either floral or geometric, were redesigned as an extension of our more modern wildflower print story, to be both exaggerated and graphic.
In a meticulous process were two-inch strips of the pattern are laid underneath the loom, thousands of dots in watercolour, are inked on the woven warp to recreate the pattern on the yarn itself. The weft is then woven with a wooden shuttle, as the artisan arduously uses the marked guidelines to weave the pattern along with the silver metallic yarn, using a separate metallic needle.
The result is a textile that feels luxurious and contemporary whilst using a craft that has been honed for generations.
The series of handwoven jamdani saris is limited to just 10 saris one in each colour and will be exclusively available at Kala Ghoda flagship store.
