Revival of 'forgotten era of Indian heritage fabrics'

Indian chamber of commerce organised the 'ICC Conference on Textiles & Apparel' recently, which was followed by 'Designer Round Table Conference' and 'ICC Apparel Awards'.

The roundtable conference was attended by eminent designers who were particularly working with the Indian heritage fabrics and weaving and stitching techniques, and have brought them to the International dais.

Personalities such as Abhishek Dutta, Fashion Designer; Bappaditya Biswas, Founder, Byloom; Rachit Agarwal, Co-Founder, Simaaya & Sasya Group; Chaitali Das, Social Entrepreneur and Managing Trustee, Rakshak Foundation; Agnimitra Paul, Fashion Designer; Shamlu Dudeja, Fashion Designer; and Sharbari Dutta, Fashion Designer deliberated on how the Indian fabrics and handlooms are being used so far, and what are the ways forward for their optimal utilisation and sustainability.

The conference was then followed by the awards. The winners in the 'Best Men's Clothing Brand' was Turtle Limited, 'Best Women's Clothing Brand' was Prapti Fashions, 'Best Children's Brand' was Zero Clothing Co., and 'Best Innerwear brand' was Macho.

Keshari Nath Tripathi, Governor of West Bengal was the Chief Guest of the session, who stated that West Bengal has immense potential in the apparels sector.

"The state's rich heritage fabrics such as cotton, jamdani, and expression of intricate artistry in Baluchari, Tangail, etc. positions the state to take its textiles sector to new heights," said Tripathi.

"Jute needs more attention as people are gradually becoming conscious of sustainable development goals and looking for alternatives to non-biodegradable materials. This is where West Bengal can utilize its comparative advantage in Jute to the full extent," he further added.

Wrapping up the series of events for the evening was the fashion show, which showcased designs of prominent fashion designers such as Agnimitra Paul; Shamlu Dudeja; Sharbari Dutta; Chaitali Das, Social Entrepreneur and Managing Trustee, Rakshak Foundation; and Lata Harlalka and Anwesha Harlalka. The designs were themed to be around sustainable fashion.