The master of warp and weft

Chennai

As the beautiful evening unravelled, a swathe of silks in beautiful hues of green, purple and peach floating as delicate as a feather in the breeze illuminated the stage on Thursday. The models walking the ramp donned textile designer and founder of popular fashion brand Raw Mango, Sanjay Garg’s signature line based on kadwa brocade work technique of Varanasi.

“Kadwa implies the ornamentation of motifs using extra weft. The designs, etched in gold against a silk background achieve a remarkable clarity of pattern and form with gem-like enamelling. It is an old art that is in danger of extinction. I was looking forward to give it a new lease of life with my creations. I remember strolling in the lanes of Varanasi to look for weavers who are well-versed in the technique,” says Sanjay. The garments in this collection are a reflection of his attempts to go back to the inherent beauty of a hand woven garment’s craftsmanship and raw material, without relying on heavy surface embellishments or ornamentation.

Despite having worked with and developed various weaving clusters of India, Sanjay chose Varanasi for its technical mastery for achieving intricate designs and patterns. “There are very few people left who would know what kadwa is and can differentiate it from other techniques. So I really wanted to rediscover the  art and spread awareness about it,” adds Sanjay. He has used the traditional prevalent skills of the weavers to understand the numerous future possibilities for this technique and even imparted training and helped in enhancing the skill set of the weavers.

Sanjay has been working with the handloom sector for over five years now and is best known for giving a unique identity to hand-woven products, especially the transparent silks of Chanderi and his recent work with Varanasi brocades. “It is important to spread awareness about the ancient textiles and the techniques of hand weaving to the current generation. The youngsters are very particular about designs. So I work towards giving a modern interpretation to the handwoven textiles crafted using traditional techniques,” puts forth Sanjay.

Sanjay is looking forward to spending some time in the city exploring the handwoven textiles of Tamil Nadu. “Like most  others, I am fascinated by Kan jeevarams. Brightly coloured and brilliantly crafted, they are my personal favourites,” he finishes.

The designer’s collection will be exhibited at Amethyst, Roya pettah, on April 23.