The sustainable fashion day celebration took place with Anju Modi X Tencel collab in the city of dreams - Mumbai. There are three main keys of sustainable fashion which are “buy less, choose well and make it last.” this was a simple statement made by Vivienne Westwood - to encourage the agenda of a climate revolution. This philosophy needs to be explored in today‘s time where environmental issues have to take centre stage and everything else can revolve around that. shopping can't be building an empire of clothes, bags and shoes in one's wardrobe anymore, it has to be more on the line of quality over quantity. Diwali is around the corner and when we think of shopping we must pursue the idea of how can what we about to purchase will add value and variety to our existing wardrobe.
Tencel is a known and well-respected brand for textiles and it's been considered to be the best option for all the mainstream designers to rely on. Their production values are authentic and very much within the respect of environmental sensitivities. Tencel has been in collaboration with Anita Dongre for Grassroots, her other line of ready-to-wear and last year they launched their ready-to-wear line with Manish Malhotra as well. This year they are accelerating with much-celebrated designer Anju Modi for her beautiful collection called Damayanti. It was inspired by the paintings of an Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma, who is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. His works are one of the best illustrations of the fusion of European academic art with an immaculate Indian sensibility and iconography. Anju Modi’s interpretation of his vision converted paintings into real female characters portraying Damayanti. Models walking bare feet with golden intricately designed payals with soles coloured in Heena takes us back into an era of olden classic magnificence resembling wealth, prosperity and culture. Saris, cholis and jackets with drapes on one side and matching shawls on the other shoulder instantly created an aura of upper Indian class women with their most precious pure gold jewels. Her silhouettes were traditional mainly a combination of beautiful saris of 9 yards which can be worn in a style of dhotis, flared skirts with short tube blouses covered with crop jackets and double shawls on both shoulders with traditional embroidery of gold and copper with floral and leafy motifs of resham threadwork. Most definitely worth investing in for decades to cherish, wear, repeat and pass it on to your daughters for generations to preserve. Anju’s collection was a perfect interpretation of classical art and the geniuses of historic artwork. It's refreshing to see creations being timeless and authentic with organic fabrics being explored.
Tencel manufactures Lyocell and Modal cellulosic fibres which are delightful to the skin and soothing to the environmental ethical system. Their versatility to be combined with a wide range of textiles defines a new standard of fashion which includes botanic origin, long-lasting softness, and contributes to breathability, colour retention and biodegradability. They are produced by environmentally responsible processes from sustainably sourced natural raw material wood. Great initiative of this merger to celebrate sustainable fashion. Their fibres are versatile and can be combined with a wide range of textile fibres such as cotton, polyester, acrylic, wool and silk to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of fabric. Plus they came to ensure the unique physical properties of Lyocell fibres leading to their great strength, efficient moisture absorption and gentleness to skin. These are the qualities Indian consumers would appreciate the most living in tropical weather conditions and believing in the concept of saving and preserving. From childhood, Indians have been taught to save and preserve whether it's money, property, gold or heritage. It's been in our bloodstream to live by these values. Reinventing them through the way we shop and explore traditional fashion doesn't sound such a bad idea after all.
