A round-up of what’s been happening in India and around the world, from The Hindu Weekend desk
Indian Terrain x Fairtrade India
Earlier this month, the menswear retailer joined hands with Fairtrade India to launch a capsule collection of T-shirts. Charath Narsimhan, Managing Director at Indian Terrain, says the crew neck tees (for men and boys) are made from cotton sourced from Fairtrade-certified farming communities in Gujarat and are manufactured by workers at certified factories in Tirupur.
Made from soft cotton in solid shades of white, pinks and greens, the T-shirts come with eco-conscious slogans (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and icons of tree stumps and fields. This collaboration makes the company India’s first high street brand to get the Fairtrade Label. As for their claim to “make 50% of our collection from sustainable sources [recycled cotton, hemp, bamboo, etc] by 2022”, Narsimhan says regular updates on this commitment are to follow, as are plans to work on larger collections with Fairtrade. ₹899 onwards on indianterrain.com
GENES Lecoanet Hemant
Designers Didier Lecoanet and Hemant Sagar’s ready-to-wear menswear collection, Love in Black and White, joins the upcycled trend with a monochromatic palette. It features textile manipulation such as patchwork and inlays. For instance, a shirt sleeve cut into the shape of a heart has been inlaid on a T-shirt (with polo and crew neck options), and a shirt and T-shirt have been combined to make one piece. Some pieces also showcase prints adapted from hand-drawn sketches. From ₹2,999 on geneslecoanethemant.com
Love Song by Anita Dongre
“Love Song is an ode to my childhood days when weddings were small, close-knit family affairs,” says designer Anita Dongre. With the pandemic ensuring that the big fat Indian wedding was forced to downsize, this is an apt memory to draw inspiration from. The campaign images, with décor by celebrity wedding planner Devika Narain, using locally-sourced and eco-friendly materials, reflect this intimate setting.
The capsule collection lists 21 lehengas, in every shade from traditional red to hot pink to unconventional teal. For the unde₹tated bride, there are beige, pastel yellow and dusty pink options, all featuring gota patti, dori, pearl, zardosi, sequins, and zari techniques. Customisation options are available for lehenga and choli length and sleeves. From ₹1.5 lakh to ₹6.05 lakh, on anitadongre.com.
Gur Organics by Pernia Qureshi
After taking a step back from the operations at online multi-designer store Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop, serial entrepreneur Pernia Qureshi launched her own labels in early 2019. After Umrao Couture, an eponymous chic casual label and Cupcake with matching mother-daughter sets, she now adds Gur Organics to the list.
The sustainable clothing line uses organic cotton and hemp fabrics, as well as fibres derived from milk, rose, banana, eucalyptus, aloe, and orange that are said to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and hypoallergenic properties. For trim and embellishments, they’ve used recycled oxidized golden sequins, mirrors and brass pipes sourced from industrial waste. The festive line, Fiza, features flowy kaftans and structured midi dresses in a neutral colour palette. From ₹19,500 onwards.
Festive accessories
Make your accessories do double duty this festive season, with multifunctional jewellery from the House of Amrapali. The collection comprises convertible pieces, such as bracelets that can be worn as a choker, and necklaces with detachable earrings, among others. At Amrapali stores across the country. Details: amrapalijewels.com
American lifestyle brand Fossil recently launched their line of jewellery for the Indian market. This includes minimalist everyday chains and pendants in rose gold, woven stainless steel and leather bracelets, and mother-of-pearl studded earrings. Available at Fossil Retail Stores, fossil.com and Shoppers Stop, ranging from ₹2,295 to ₹5,295.
Taking their contemporary aesthetic to jewellery, clothing label Bhaane has collaborated with Suhani Parekh’s label Misho Designs on a capsule collection of gold-toned, sculputural, hand-made accessories. The names of individual pieces suggest their functionality, such as hoops made for lounging. Other pieces are strictly to be worn off duty, like their mismatched earrings or the relaxed-form choker. From ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 on bhaane.com.
