KOCHI: International fashion designer and social activist Sanjana Jon, who dazzled the world with her unique designs, is now on a mission to promote handloom and the rich cultural heritage of Kerala through her work.
“It is disheartening to learn that nobody gives handloom its due attention. Many cite the lack of economic gain or how handloom has become old-fashioned and refuse to embrace it. The advent of power-loom has crushed a majority of the handlooms. This is happening because of a lack of awareness. Despite handloom being part of our rich culture, people here only buy them on special occasions. With the deterioration of handlooms, we are also losing our heritage,” says Sanjana, who is in Thiruvananthapuram as part of an international fashion event.
“The event organisers wanted me to feature some of my high-end fashion lines. But I told them I wanted to promote eco-wear, a line of fashion that promotes handloom. Eco-wear is what I want Kerala to see,” she adds. “The West cherish our custom and heritage. But here, we blindly run behind what’s trending in the West at the expense of our heritage,” says Sanjana, who is a consultant for one of the fashion houses promoting eco-wear in the US.
“Through my work, I want to educate our young generation and make them ethical consumers. They should realise the need to buy handloom. We need to bring structural change in fashion. Earlier, designers used to make clothes for the seasons. This needs to stop. Fashion lines for each season should not be the trend. It should be clothes we can wear for all seasons.” Sanjana feels handloom can revolutionise yoga wear.
“Yoga has become a lifestyle and has become a rage across the world. We have created a yoga line using handloom. We want to make handloom a part of our daily living and help people understand environmental sustainability,” says Sanjana. She believes the biggest challenge in her career so far has been blending traditional and modern design.
“Integrating traditional and modern fashion and making them wearable, fashionable and adaptable were a huge learning curve for me. We come from a culture that appreciates colours, and when I think about Kerala, it’s always the whites that enchant me. It’s a palette of Kerala. I never forgot my foundation, and that helped me the most in my career,” says Sanjana.
She attributes her passion for fashion to her grandmother. “She used to dress amazingly and make handmade jewellery pieces that matched her costume. My mother and aunt also used to dress well, and I grew up watching them. I always attribute everything to my brother Anand Jon. He has always been my mentor,” she adds.
Sanjana is gearing up to complete her documentary on weavers of Balaramapuram. “I have made a large portion of the documentary, but I want to explore more. I hope to complete it within two months. It’s my tribute to the weavers who are part of our rich heritage. I am also working on another documentary focusing on racism that exists in the world,” she adds.