BENGALURU: Umbara Designs’ Rama Narayanan can talk most convincingly on any topic from fabric to Rumi to books, will be the first to inform you, albeit gently, that kowtowing to the customer is not her job. But instead, it is to accentuate your strength using customised cuts and silhouettes. Like any fashion designer, attention is also paid to the fibre, the weave, fabric, texture, colour, design, body fit and so on. However, there is a big difference in the way Umbara works. Here, they do not turn clothes out by the bulk. Instead the pace is slow and relaxing. If you are in a hurry, best you skip placing orders here.
Her bravehearts
Rather than depend on machines and able men, Rama has chosen to work with women, even differently-abled girls, many of whom come from humble backgrounds. There are victims of domestic abuse, social tragedies and those hailing from economically weak families. Trained to design, cut and sew, these women are provided with a livelihood. Many have gone on to start units on their own, since Umbara started in 2009. Take the case of diminutive Amala, who came to Umbara eight years ago when working as a maid. Having failed in math at school, she had no confidence she could make it as one of Umbara’s able hands. Rama took to teaching the girl addition and division using an inch tape! Today, Amala’s concept of body fit and drape is an envy of design students, says Rama proudly. Many had minimal to nil experience in the work. Almost a hundred have been trained so far.
When they come to work, they come to a second home where they can relax, laugh, unburden themselves, and in the process also get some work done, as Rama puts it. Umbara stays clear of ‘masculanising’ women. “Most women we have working with us are delicate, completely entrenched in their womanhood and the various roles it demands us to play,” says Rama. “However, psychological, physical mental and emotional stressors have made them unsuitable for modern day workplace.” Umbara encourages women to work as a team in the old-fashioned way.
You decide your clothes
After a casual chat, Rama gauges you and where you come from, your background and tastes, a complete style sheet is made. This takes in aspects of your body and personality type, skin tone, social circle, the event the clothing is meant for and finally, your budget. In short, Umbara creates an exclusive design library for you.
The person comes first, and next is the fabric. In choosing fabric, her first criterion is that it must “breathe with the body that wears it. So natural fibres are a first choice,” says the NIFT graduate. At Umbara, hand-woven fabrics and products are the first choice. “They don’t turn our rivers into chemicals when dyed and printed,” says Rama. “Our clothes take time to be made. So the customer values the product when they receive it.” Once the fabric is chosen, over the next few sittings, a fit piece in any available cloth is perfected and once satisfied, it is replicated in the specific fabric. Umbara offers other services too such as the ‘wardrobe audit’. This audit basically involves a rehaul where some clothes are given a fresh lease of life courtesy some repair, others are ‘upcycled’ and some simply given away. Using a few tricks, the women come to your rescue. It could be a kalamkari applique work added on, or a pallu from an old retired sari pasted onto a new plain one, or a marble print that camouflages the running colours. Bra-fitting that gives advice on different bras to suit various activities and clothing, personal shopping advice and design advice are other services offered.
(Umbara Designs is based at Mahalakshmi Layout.They also have a Facebook page)