The Hindu Business Line : Dream weaves...

Much has been written about the international attention grabbed by Indian fashion designers. But little is known about the country's achievements in textile design. For instance, Neeru Kumar's success in hand-woven textiles has given her a pride of place at Maison & Objet and Le Bon in France, and at Liberty and Selfridges in the UK.

A graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, she has experimented with different materials and processes to create new fabrics. She recalls how she created `First Design.' Just before the `Festival of India' was launched in the erstwhile USSR, Neeru wanted to create a unique fabric reflecting traditional Indian weaves and wefts. "I was going crazy trying to think of combinations. Suddenly, one midnight, the idea struck me: why not mix tussar and wool using the jacquard weaving method. Thus the famous `First Design' was created."

And today, she has among her clientele women walking down the power corridors (Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Renuka Choudhury), those in art and media (Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Arundhati Roy, Barkha Dutt) and women who mean business (Ritu Nanda). "They are now regulars at my stores in Mumbai and Delhi," says this Delhi-based designer.

Neeru believes that Indian material and skills can be deftly used to create a contemporary weave. And she's especially partial to ikkat and jamdani style of weaving; her range of textiles in silk and cotton have been specially woven by these traditional weavers. "There's a lot you can do with ikkat, contemporise the product and make it acceptable in the international market," she says.

Her distinctive style, created by the skilful use of Kantha work, fine appliqué and various techniques in dyeing, appeal both to the purist and the trendy. Neeru's creations are greatly influenced by Japanese and European styles. "I also believe that the use of colours is my greatest strength," she says.

The changing scenario

Pointing out how the Indian design industry has transformed in the last five years, she says, "These days, we have a lot of interaction between Indian and foreign designers, give inputs to each other and create more contemporary and global designs. The other change is that Indian weavers have become much less resistant to change. They now accept whatever inputs we give and are also willing to experiment." The third change is in the market itself. "The Indian market is becoming quality conscious only now. The global market always demanded quality and strict delivery schedules. But I find that Indian buyers, who were very relaxed in these two aspects, are becoming more demanding and stringent."

In 1985, Neeru started working with just two looms in Delhi. "The initial 5-6 years were difficult. But after the creation of `First Design' in 1990, there was no looking back," she admits. She works with 100 looms now, employing about 400 weavers and an equal number of hand-stitch workers. She has nearly 60 retail buyers in Paris, Milan and Rome. She has also worked with designer labels such as Maki Textile Studio in Japan and Jack Larsen in the US.

Her collection comprises two ranges: textiles for home, and garments for both men and women. The home collection includes bed covers, cushion covers, wall hangings, etc, while the garment range includes saris, kurtas, shawls, stoles, dupattas and scarves. Interestingly, she also collects antique and traditional fabrics from all over the country, including rare 50-year-old Banjara textiles from Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh and tribal fabric from Karnataka. Her collection of antique textiles could easily translate into a mini museum.

For the modern-day discerning buyer Neeru has four stores in the country, two in Delhi, and one each in Mumbai and Bangalore.

Picture by G.R.N. Somashekar

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