Ritu Kumar draws on the craft forms of Rajasthan for her Thar Desert Collection, which she showcased at the Rajasthan Heritage Week recently. A kaleidoscope of crafts from the desert land — ajrakh print, embroidered wool patchwork and mica mirror-work bandhni — form the line. “The richness of the desert land never fails to stimulate the sensibility of Indian designers. Keeping in line with my revival work, the collection highlights the crafts of the handloom khadis from Jaisalmer. I have particularly focused on ajrakh, a form of block printing, which has a
1,500-year-old history in the region, and put it into contemporary silhouettes. A special section has also been devoted to mirror-work bandhni,” RK told t2.

2015 was the year of the Benarasi, with the Indian fash frat joining hands to put the heritage fabric on the runway. This year, too, the spotlight continues to be on the woven yards of Benaras with Manish Malhotra stitching together a gorgeous story for his new collection, The Regal Threads.
Showcased in Mumbai last month, the collection is crafted out of fabrics woven in Benaras and Gujarat. The Fitoor lead pair of Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapur stopped the show, resplendent in rich Benarasi weaves.
“This is the first time I have worked with Benarasi weaves and the creative process of putting together the collection has been immensely gratifying. The Regal Threads is my tribute to our weavers and craftsmen who have upheld centuries-old crafts traditions. It is a celebration of couture heritage, colours and the glamour of India in our style,” said Manish. Saris in bold checks, voluminous lehngas and blouses with mirror-work, high-waisted skirts and flowy kalidars in handcrafted Benarasi silk, fine cottons, brocades and bandhni make up the line. The colour palette ranged from bright pink and orange to lime green and deep blue. Picture: Sandip Das