India's fashion decade
The last decade has seen the emergence of a unique signature that is sparse on frills but abundant in abstract and academic expressions in fashion. Modern Indian Minimalism-unadulterated by overwhelming embellishments, the hitherto obvious hallmark of most Indian designers-is a language that relies on pattern-cutting, experimentation with yarns, geometry of shapes, non-figurative design garnishes and unorthodox traditional techniques.
What makes this movement uniquely Indian is the prominent role Indian textiles play in the minimalist designers' practice. The resurgence of handmade textiles of India in fashion design-with their invaluable cultural, social and environmental narratives-is what makes this industry exciting today. Indian textiles give designers the tactility to explore the relationship between wearer and weave. These young designers, who graduated from pedigreed design schools across the world, use a unique language of design provocations and interventions, to build their oeuvres. They challenge us to shift our perceptions and constantly question our relationship with clothes. Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice, winner of the prestigious
