KOCHI: This pandemic has taught the world to look at many things differently – self-sufficiency, hygiene and health. The same applies to fashion, one of the biggest and most sought after industries in the world. Many people have realised the need to stick with comfort, while sustainability advocates in the field are vouching for waste reduction and upcycling. With major brands like Gucci going seasonless, it is definitely time to think big about such an adaptation.
For Archana Nandal, curator, stylist and founder of Cult Modern, the quaint designer store in Fort Kochi, timeless fashion has always been the attraction. An alumna of National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, Archana has been in fashion for over 25 years now. Her store features handpicked items from sustainable brands around the country, including Abraham and Thakore, White Champa, Raw Mango and Dhruv Singh.
Mass production of fashion has definitely made it cheaper, but it also means clothes you may not use for more than half a year. This model, far from sustainability, has also managed to put skilled workers out of work, or a feasible income. “The concept of a new trend every season is exploitative – both to the buyer and makers. What you buy from a shop like mine –from a sustainable brand may be priced extra, but this means every worker involved in the process is paid what they deserve. It also means that something you buy now, could last in your family for generations. That is what makes timeless fashion truly unique,” she says.
Post lockdown, Cult Modern has launched the Summer 2020 collection from Raw Mango and Dhruv Singh. The festive wear from Raw Mango features a central motif of Kerala’s own striking blue Neelakurinji. The series features on-high slit kurtas, lehengas and floral saris. They are coloured in soft pinks, peaches, angoori and white alongside vermillion red, neelakurinji blue and rama green. “Fabrics are sumptuous and light silks, chanderis and mashru. There are fit and flared kurtas, churidars, graceful odhnis, floral butas, brocades, and elegant kurta and pant sets in simple, form-flattering shapes,” says Archana. You can order these through Cult Mordern’s Facebook and Instagram pages.