As modern as the Kochi-based label’s silhouettes are, designer Sreejith Jeevan’s sensibilities are rooted in his heritage. Showcasing this element in his latest Onam collection by transposing abstract memories from his childhood into motifs, the textile design graduate from NID, Ahmedabad, says that the collection feels like home. “For most of us, Onam is a celebration of coming back home and enjoying the comfort of the familiar flavours that we grew up with. I wanted to capture this idea and interpretation of home,” begins Sreejith. A unique result of tradition and innovation, the line invokes the legacy of the classic kara but with an element of quirk that comes from the pickle jar, sadya chairs and morning glory flower motifs.
Engaging the Chengamand cluster in Kochi, the collection features handwoven cotton and employs hand-guided machine embroidery as it’s surface technique. “It’s a technique that we have been using for a while now... it’s almost like illustrating with a needle. We don’t believe in using screenprints and this kind of embroidery is a great way of interpreting our illustration on to cloth.” Sticking to the Kerala staple, ivory, for the colour palette, the collection that features Kimono crop tops, blouses, dresses and trousers use accents of navy and black — a modern interpretation of the kasavu sari or mundu. Terming this use of a limited palette as a hark back to minimalistic aesthetics that once governed Kerala’s fashion, the 32-year-old explains that maximalism was truly never part of the state’s design sensibilities.
Launching the Onam collection in tandem with the handloom day, the collection is available in their store and can also be ordered online via the brand’s Facebook page.
Rs 5,000 onwards.