When we spoke to Sruti Dalmia last, in April this year, the designer had just presented the first part of her aspirational Gemini series at a digital showcase for the London Fashion Week 2021 (LFW). The line titled The Unsung Melody explored native weaves of Northeast India and Myanmar. The pièces de résistance were made from lotus silk, sourced via a one-of-a-kind production indigenous to Vietnam and Myanmar.
“I’ve experienced so many design heritages. But very few of them have found representation internationally,” she had said back then. A few weeks ago Dalmia returned to LFW’s virtual circuit to showcase the final part of the Gemini series, titled Homecoming. A dreamy wave of fuchsia, salmon, polished neutrals and breathy, unconfined silhouettes made from homegrown handlooms that can fit into any summer memo on either side of the ocean, Homecoming is also her Spring/Summer 2022 line.
The 'Calcutta' connect
"The Gemini collection derives inspiration from my childhood in ‘Calcutta’ where saris and beautiful Northeastern weaves were carefully passed down and worn over decades by the women in the house," the designer shares.
Dalmia references Rabindranath Tagore’s verse Ekti Shishir Bindu (A Glistening Drop of Dew) to help us understand this last chapter of her three-part series. And in a way, it makes perfect sense considering how far Dalmia has travelled with her design philosophy.
The designer was born in Kolkata where she spent the first few years of her life, and she still has a home in the city. She has lived in New Delhi, Lucknow, Myanmar and London and in 2017 launched her eponymous sustainable fashion label and Yangon (Rangoon) flagship. She produced her first collection in January 2018 and it sold out in 20 days.
“I have worked with weavers from Myanmar, Nagaland and several parts of the Northeast [India], who work with recycled fabrics. We’re also upcycling all silk wastage into fresh yarns at weaving centres to produce new pieces. My idea was to move away from what we've seen in the Indian market and originate a new look. It may not look Indian but hey, it is!” Dalmia says about her design language.
On her personal Instagram account, the slow-fashion patron who holds a master’s degree in Human Resources from Lancaster University uses the Bengali script to spell her name. She also tells us that the City of Joy is represented quite heavily in her work.
“For every summer and winter vacation, I would travel to Kolkata with my Mom and spend quality time with my grandparents and family. I left Kolkata, but Kolkata never left me. I carry it with me wherever I go. I plan to make my journey back through a series of collections. Gradually our audience will get to see a whole lot of personal interpretation of my proud Bengali heritage,” she shares.
The ethical route
Cultivating an ethical value chain is at the core of Dalmia’s brand, which also deploys a carefully developed ecosystem to promote ethical sourcing and labour development. In a way, it updates the idea of how luxury and ethical consumption can seamlessly coexist.
“We as a brand have a very conscious approach to responsible production. All our assemblages are produced respecting the weavers’ time and capacity. We always work directly with weavers to produce our fabrics. For the Homecoming line, we have used a host of handmade sustainable weaves, including our favoured cotton silk. Yarn-dyed fabrics have been produced responsibly to form vibrant assemblages,” the designer says.
Next up
Dalmia is planning the official India launch of her label in early 2022 with a capsule line. “One has to understand that luxury fashion is not about heavy materials or opulence, but about time and effort. We are now planning a special capsule collection for our launch in India and also preparing for our Autumn/Winter 2022 collection,” Dalmia signs off.