BENGALURU: If you are thinking of revamping your old Kanjeevaram saree, the usual choices are either converting them into a dress or a south Indian ‘langa’. But with some help from fashion designer Latha Puttanna, you can pick an alternative. With her latest sustainable initiative, Puttanna is using Kalamkari art and Batik print to give old Kanjeevaram sarees a fresh lease of life.
A flag bearer of heirloom fashion, Puttanna’s initiative was borne out of her own experimentation with old Kanjeevaram sarees. “I have so many silk sarees and over time, you get over certain sarees. I decided to get a Kalamkari print done on one of them and it not only came out fresh as new, but also intrigued a few people. The rich silk texture of the Kanjeevaram saree served as the perfect canvas for the intricate Kalamkari designs and the bold Batik patterns. I thought why not offer it to anyone else who is also interested in doing it too,” says Puttanna, adding that she has also tried it on her chiffon sarees.
What’s the difference between the two artforms? “Kalamkari is a type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile that is traditionally practiced in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The art of Kalamkari involves intricate designs and motifs that are inspired by nature, mythology, and folklore. Batik dye, on the other hand, is a wax-resist dyeing technique in which hot wax is applied to the fabric in a specific pattern, and then the fabric is dyed. The wax acts as an insulator, and the pattern remains untouched by the dye,” the veteran designer explains.
The initiative has gone well with many of her clients as well, many of which reach out to her to help conserve their heirloom pieces. “One of my clients had this 40-year-old Kanjeevaram handwoven silk saree that hadn’t seen the light of the day for a few decades. We didn’t think embroidery was suitable, because not all sarees are meant for that. Also, you find embroidery everywhere nowadays. So, we tried something different and did a fusion of Kalamkari and Batik dye,” says Puttanna.
A firm believer of sustainable fashion, Puttanna is of the view that ‘merely shopping less’ is not enough, and advocates for a sustainable ecosystem for artists and weavers. “When you pick a Kanjeevaram saree you give employment to a weaver. Likewise, when you conserve an old saree, you are giving employment to an artist who is going to give new life to that piece of clothing,” she adds.
For Kalamkari, Puttanna has collaborated with the artisans from Andhra Pradesh, opting for chemical-free traditional methods. While Batik prints are done by artisans from Gujarat. Puttana says they’re open to taking customised orders as well. “We do have certain pieces, but these kinds of work are done on order, because these are customised pieces and people are very particular about the kind of prints they want,” she says.