Weave for women in law

There’s magic in the hands of weavers of Chendamangalm. They have played with the black and white palette to create an incredible array of designs for the women in law
Weave for women in law

KOCHI: Chendamangalam in Ernakulam is synonymous with handlooms and khadi. There was a time when the voice of looms echoed in almost every street where thousands of generational weavers lived and worked. Gradually, factories took over and handloom, a slow and steady craft, lost its shimmer. But later, even when it made a return worldwide among advocates of evergreen, sustainable fashion, in Kerala and India, the handloom and Khadi weavers still struggle to survive.  Ramesh Menon, the founder of Save The Loom wanted to change that and completely upend the concept of handloom. 

His venture, which began as a revival mission of Chendamangalam villages post the 2018 flood, is now helping many from the community thrive. Save the Loom’s new collection, Vidhi, is a tribute to the brave woman lawyers of the country. The everyday wear tailor-made for women in law was launched on May 4 on the birth anniversary of Anna Chandy, the first woman judge of India. 

The collection was conceived by  Justice K K Usha, the first woman judge of Kerala High Court and subsequently its Chief Justice and a patron of Save The Loom. She championed women empowerment and stood against discrimination throughout her career. She passed away in October 2020 at the age of 81. The artisans had huge support from lawyers after the August 2018 floods. A series of exhibitions were conducted at the High Court premises to sell the retrieved stock, and woman lawyers were their primary clients. 

With Vidhi, the weavers have given a new flair to lawyers’  drab uniform. The collection mainly focuses on sarees. The colour palette is limited to black, grey and white. Though they are office wear, Vidhi can also be worn for a night out. The fabric is soft, airy and comfortable, unlike the starchy old texture. The collection was an outcome of many a conversation with judges and advocates. The design team of Save The Loom Studio conducted surveys to develop a textile that can ‘breathe and dry’ easily and give comfort to the wearer even in hot and humid weather. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com