We all know Gaurang Shah is a master of weaves. Now, he has proven he’s a master of textile art as well. The Hyderabad-based designer’s latest collection, Chitravali (painted panoramas), is not just a feast for the eyes, it is a glorious coming together of art and craft. Shah has taken inspiration from the murals of Ajanta caves and translated them on to saris, lehengas and anarkalis.
Known for traditional motifs, he has turned to kalamkari painting instead of woven patterns. Also, Shah who has always been big on colour, has this time focussed entirely on muted tones. The kalamkari paintings were created using natural dyes and involved 17 tedious steps to process, while a lone master painter replicated the frescos.
Kanjeevaram silk is synonymous with celebratory wear, but in this collection, while the hues are subdued, they continue to maintain their richness thanks to the classic korvai weaving technique. Korvai involves a specialised process where the borders and pallu, in contrast to the body, are woven separately. They are then skilfully woven into the body of the sari to create one piece.
The Kanjeevaram silk used in this collection has been customised in such a way that the natural dyes can seep in and bring out Shah’s bold designs. Besides Kanjeevaram, the designer has also experimented with organza, khadi and tussar.
“There is also a starry effect to every Chitravali character,” says Shah, “Besides the beautiful jugalbandi of kalamkari and Kanjeevaram, we have also accentuated our ensembles with chikankari and mukaish embroidery from Uttar Pradesh. The bling does not overpower the actual essence.”
One of India’s most reputed textile revivalists with a client list from Kirron Kher to Sonam Kapoor, Shah, who is self-taught, says he has always been fascinated by textiles and weaving techniques. Today, the Gaurang label supports more than 500 handloom clusters across India in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.