RmKV silks: Old colours and techniques in new collection

Bringing back the forgotten colours while also creating new innovations, RmKV Silks has launched two new sari collections
RmKV officials displaying the new collections at the event | Karthik Saran
RmKV officials displaying the new collections at the event | Karthik Saran

CHENNAI: Pomegranate seeds gifting a ruby red shade, the mulberry leaves painting natural green, light buttery yellow shades from myrobalan and marigold, rich red and amber tones obtained from Indian madder, deep crimson hues from arraku (lac) and indigo, meticulously processed and curated to create blue tints — these were some of the natural dyes on display in front of the silk saris at Taj Connemara. The hours of the excruciating natural dye extraction process, the tiring weaving and the additional hand works were hidden perfectly in the elegance of the silk. The event witnessing the latest innovations in the RmKV world on Wednesday was a spectacle of colours and a deep analysis into the process of sari making.

Launching the latest

RmKV is known for introducing ground-breaking innovations in handwoven Kanchipuram silk saris. This time, it has once again created two new inventions for the holiday season by returning to tried-and-true traditional methods. While the Naturals collection draws upon a revered dyeing tradition to create designs that are luxurious as well as sustainable, Lino Silk uses leno technology, a method for silk weaving that RmKV has trademarked, which has been used to make handwoven Kanchipuram silk saris 40 per cent lighter. Giving more insight about natural dyeing, Shankar Kumaraswamy, director, RmKV Silks, said, “All fabrics were naturally dyed till synthetic dyes were introduced in 1856.

Convenient and cost-effective, synthetic dyes quickly replaced natural ingredients as colouring agents; the environmental impact of their toxic effluents has now become all too apparent. The ancient recipes used to create natural dyes and mordants have been either lost or maintained by a diminishing number of dyers in small craft clusters Most naturally, dyed saris, such as block-printed cotton saris, are coloured only after they’re woven. However, the silk for Kanchipuram saris must be dyed before it can be woven on the loom.” The company is currently reviving old colours which are often not used.

By blending the latest technology and delivering the old glory, RmKV aims to create a new world of authentic traditional saris. Pranav Kumaraswamy, director, RmKV Silks, explained the new techniques. “Lino silk saris have been handcrafted at our centre in Tamil Nadu. We have used two patented techniques in Lino silk sari. KV technique was applied to the interlocking meenakari effect, and the Lino technique was applied for transparency and drapability comfort. The whole process necessitated twisting the yarn in a unique way followed by restructuring followed by a restructuring of the looms,” he summed up.

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