BHUBANESWAR: When Bhubaneswar-based engineer Richa Maheshwari launched her clothing brand ‘Boito’ two years back, she wanted to create a bridge linking Odisha’s indigenous weaves with luxury and livelihood.
Today, the premium luxury brand represents a strong team of weavers trying to shine a light on the indigenous textile crafts and weaving communities in the state. And they have been successful to a large extent when it comes to Kapadaganda and Kotpad textiles which earlier were limited to just shawls and sarees.
‘Boito’, she said, was born out of a personal journey of discovery. After working for 15 years as a product manager in a Bengaluru-based MNC, Richa took a sabbatical in 2022 to explore Odia culture and heritage. Her travel led her to various weaving communities. “I saw firsthand how textile-making is a central focus in indigenous family life here, and how methods and motifs have endured for generations. But despite the magic in their textiles, these weavers struggle to make ends meet,” she said.
This is when she decided to float her brand Boito (derived from the ancient maritime festival Boito Bandana) to preserve the indigenous textile tradition, give it a luxury spin and present it to the world.
She reached out to Bengaluru-based Anshu Arora - a veteran multidisciplinary design practitioner - to design luxury garments from the indigenous weaves. And for textiles, she collaborates with 15 weavers of the state.
Unlike other brands, Boito does not attempt to change the vocabulary of the textiles. Instead, the design of the garments is in response to the proportion of motifs and colours. The collection focuses heavily on statement silhouettes such as trench coats, jackets, jumpsuits and dresses, as well as tailored shirts, trousers and skirts. The textiles lend themselves quite beautifully to these modern garments, she said. The first collection of Boita - The Boita Beginnings - was showcased in Bhubaneswar last year.
Richa said the clothing is designed to stand tall and strong, fluid at times, structured at others. “Every now and then, you will discover a little detail such as a Dokra pendant or bead. The clothing is designed to be timeless and evoke a sense of luxury, particularly the luxury of time invested to create each piece,” she said.
The motifs used are modern and timeless, reflective of the indigenous weavers. Coastal settlements encompass seashells and shrimps, while landlocked zones exhibit peacocks and deer. “Our artisans continue their autonomous creations and we propose minimal design tweaks that work for a global audience,” said the founder who is currently working with Khandua and Sambalpuri silks apart from Kapadaganda and Kotpad textiles.
The Khandua weave turtle, for instance, features prominently in two of Boito styles - a floaty kimono and a more structured blazer. The Kotpad jacket was created from the authentic Aal-dyed shawls, with a generous smattering of their typically fauna-inspired extra weft motifs, which sometimes also includes umbrellas and tiny axes. The Dongria overlay, similarly, is made from the Kapdaganda shawl embroidered by the Dongria Kondh women.
Amongst the various weaves, Richa has her favourite - the Kerang fabric. Used by Gadaba and Bonda people, it is amongst the oldest known yarns to mankind, constructed using the barks and branches of the Kerang tree, with a strength that keeps the garment alive for over 50 years.
She is now attempting to create Boito centres within weaving communities to make production of textiles a collaborative yet unhurried process. The intent is to continue to design in response to what the weavers create according to their seasonality, free from the diktats of fashion cycles.