Sustainable fashion is nothing but a beautiful narrative of our rich Indian culture and craft that it inherits. The deep roots and impeccable artistry of our ethnicity deserve to be celebrated. Silkwaves- a brainchild of Mariyam Khatri, is one such offspring that commemorates its native four generations of age-old hand block printing techniques. Working with skilled artisans with an expertise of over eight years, Silkwaves has blended the craft with modern nuances to create fashion-forward designs thereby pushing the case of sustainable fashion in the new-age.
Just in time for the summer, Silkwaves unveiled a collection lining up breezy silhouettes at Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio at Defence Colony. Mariyam chose a monochrome colour palette to offset the chicness of relaxed silhouettes. At the special preview, the young designer shared about her love for handicrafts and how she tapped into her roots borrowing native art and skills to define her label.
Talking about her journey, the designer said ” I was exposed to the art since my childhood. I’ve done major in handicrafts as an undergraduate and have grown up watching traditional block printing at our workshops. So when I was forming my own label I decided to take this inherited art ahead with a new spin. I took a detour from the conventional design and patterns and tried keeping it muted and understated for a modern appeal when I did my first collection. The collection received a great response and that’s how my signature style was fortified.”
The designer shared her fancy for contemporary influences and her love for geometry as a prominent subject for her collection. ” I like angles and the playfulness in geometry. The texture is another thing that really fascinates me. So, I majorly take references from geometry and textures to develop my designs.”
Silkwaves is an all-around slow fashion brand and only uses nature-friendly designing techniques. Pure cotton tops, tunics, sarees, stoles are rendered with monochrome hand-blocked stripes, checks and geometric patterns for Silkwaves’ spring/summer repertoire. Mariyam also asserted on using linen for her upcoming collection.
Affirming her love for handicraft the designer stated’ I belong to a textile family, so I’ve grown up with the influence. I vividly remember being enamoured by traditionally handcrafted masterpieces at Delhi Haat during a childhood visit. I really think that something that is made with hands holds more value and love.
Currently pursuing her education abroad along with spear-heading the India-based brand, Mariyam counts on her family to execute the designs and is literally on her fingertips all the time to supervise the production. Advising upcoming brands like her own, she says that passion and focus are the only
Shop Silkwaves Spring/Summer ’19 collection exclusively here .