Odia designer's date with fusion

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8: Odia designer Sujit Meher's latest collection is a fusion of Sambalpuri handloom and Arabian clothing. Apart from apparels for men and women, his product line also includes a special assortment for children.

Meher's collection simultaneously speaks about the richness of our tradition, culture and the immaculate beauty of Sambalpuri fabrics.

For women, he is creating a wide range of gowns, palazzos, maxis and shrugs, while for men, Meher is emphasising on jackets, chinos and blazers.

"My collections always aim at presenting the fabrics of Odisha in an attractive manner. It speaks of the richness of our tradition. I am quite hopeful the designs will change the mindset of our youngsters towards Indian handlooms and I hope they would enjoy wearing them," said Meher, an alumnus of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bangalore.

For the little fashionistas, he is designing a number of flowery dresses and kurtas. They will also have stylish headgears that are typical to Arabian costumes.

Meher's collection will be presented at an event celebrating Nuakhai in Bangalore on September 27. The annual event is organised by Juhar Parivar, a community of residents hailing from west Odisha.

After the launch, the designs will be put up for sale on various online shopping portals. His last year's collection of folk fashion had a bohemian touch. Over 1,000 people attended the last edition of the Bangalore festival.

The amount collected from the show will be used for the development of the traditional weavers of Odisha. "I belong to a family of weavers and I know the hardships they go through to keep the legacy of the traditional handlooms intact. But the problem is the fact that they hardly get recognition and their source of resources are also limited. It is our collective responsibility to help them," said the 25-year-old designer.

In January, Meher's name had appeared in the list of top 10 designers produced by NIFT, the premier fashion establishment in the country. His name has also featured with the likes of prominent designers such as Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Ritu Beri, Manish Arora and Shivaji Dutta.

Meher is also working on a furnishing line by employing e Sambalpuri and Ikkat fabrics and designs. The collection will comprise cushion and sofa covers, bed covers and curtains.

"I am conversing with a number of traditional weavers to know more about the patterns that are typical to our fabrics. I have also planned to involve the weavers in the process because that will surely add authenticity to the entire range of collections," said Meher, who hails from Kalahandi district.