(L-R) Dona Ganguly, models Julaikha Shah, Diya Palit and Mihira Singh, and directors of She Kantha Shamlu Dudeja and Malika Dudeja Varma. Julaikha, Diya and Mihira modelled contemporary avatars of the age-old craft.
Dona Ganguly was the chief guest at the unveiling. “The craft is so unique and creative. The pieces are lovely. I do own a few kantha pieces and I love them. The fact that it is so labour-intensive, makes it all the more precious. You can’t have it instantly and it’s worth the wait,” said Dona. Modhurima Sinha, director PR — East, Taj Group (extreme right) teamed a kantha jacket with her sari. Versatile and so cool. “At Khazana here Taj Bengal we are happy to have She Kantha as part of our collection. Not only does it enhance our collection, but also we are adding a whole new section for our guests. We are launching this across the country at Khazanas, including Delhi and Bombay. We are happy to take Bengal across the country and have special, exclusive kantha in Kolkata. I have a lot of kantha saris because they are so unique. This jacket is formal and can be worn with a sari and is contemporary in design,” she smiled.
This ones for the family album. (L-R) The next-gen Varmas in kantha — Mahima and Saumya — with Shamlu and Malika.
The kantha display made for a gorgeous frame. The collection comprises both spring-summer — think easy-breezy organzas, crepes, chiffons, georgettes — and, a bit of velvets too. Saris and dupattas shared space with more contemporary silhouettes like pants, ponchos, reversible jackets, stoles and shrugs. Beautiful wall panels were also a part of the display. “The summer jackets have done well. It’s very difficult to plan the number of pieces because of the workmanship it involves, though we try to. The edit has to be very tight. This is a big step for kantha on a national platform. We’ve got very good appreciation and it is reaching another level of acceptance,” said Malika.
Acharapan Yavaprapas, consul general of Thailand in Kolkata, dropped by.
Browsing with Dona…
This jacket was so Dona! Fuss-free and lovely.
A summery kantha dupatta in chiffon. “This is one of the most difficult fabrics to work on,” said Malika.
An elegant white dupatta, always a classic choice.
A velvet dupatta with kantha work that could complement your eveningwear.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das