INDIAN designer Gaurang Shah is set to bring the brilliance of his Jamdani creations to the UK with the opening of a label store in London in July.
Located in Notting Hill’s Ledbury Road, the store will feature Shah’s unique collections that
blend India’s centuries-old tradition of hand-weaving with aesthetic finesse. On sale will be
handwoven saris and dupattas (long scarves).
And it’s not just British Asians that he hopes to cater to. The Hyderabad-based textile designer, who is a regular at India’s Lakme Fashion week, wants to build a strong base among Westerners as well. He hopes to do this with the help of Indian Jamdani, an age-old
hand-weaving technique.
“Indian Jamdani has universally appealing factor,” Shah, 46, told Eastern Eye. “The consumption story is heart-warming as foreigners do appreciate its magnificence, choosing to wear them on special occasions. Especially those where they get to attend Asian weddings, social dos and participate in Indian festivities. We hope the trend goes beyond special occasions.”
The textile designer sees the Jamdani sari as a nine-yard canvas, with “limitless ability to disrupt design conventions and break creative boundaries”.
Besides India, the US has proved to be a good market for his designs, and he hopes to experience similar success in the UK.
Shah spoke of the “growing understanding of Indian Jamdani and its universal appeal”.
