The Bay of Bengal has always been more than a body of water. For centuries, its tides carried ships laden with silk, cotton and indigo, linking Bengal to distant shores. Its ports became crossroads of trade, where weavers, painters and artisans found their work celebrated across continents.
Following the success of its debut collection — presented through three edits, Jaminique, Ghora Ginni and Lady of the Forest — Tagore by Nandini now unveils its new A/W resort collection, From the Bay of Bengal. With this release, the clothing label founded by mother–son duo Nandini Pal and Ankit Ram Pal pays an even more evocative tribute to its home state.
“As you know, we are all about Bengal and try to present the best of it in the most contemporary way. Revisiting the past, we wanted to bring back arts that turned traditional fabrics and crafts into commodities during the colonial era. Hence, after much experimentation, we have crafted a capsule collection of 13 pieces dyed in indigo blue, salt white and other hues spotted across the world’s largest bay,” Ankit elucidates.
Muslins from Dhaka, jamdanis from Phulia and silks from Murshidabad were traded by the East India Company, worn by nawabs and coveted by queens. Interpreting those very silhouettes, the new edit captures the ease of coastal living with batik, jamdani and fabric-painting that mirrors the rhythm of waves and the flight of seabirds.
“We have not only worked with batik artisans, Phulia craftspeople and Mushidabadi silk weavers this time, but have also used handwoven denim and incorporated kantha embroidery too. After I moved back to Kolkata, I began noticing owls everywhere during Durga Puja celebrations. I hadn’t realised their deep significance in Bengali culture, where the owl symbolises wealth and is the vahana of Goddess Lakshmi. Alongside this, we incorporated palm tree motifs from the coast — flowing, psychedelic patterns inspired by the Bay of Bengal and embroidery that captures the beauty of Kolkata’s Eden Gardens and the symmetry of the Victoria Memorial. Together, these elements were designed to instil a sense of pride in those wearing the garments,” he tells us.
Womenswear silhouettes such as the maxi dress, wrap dress, scarf dress and halter dress boast painted tidal waves, while the midi and halter gown are finished with embroidery. The denim wear is limited to wide-leg pants and a detailed corset.
“With From the Bay of Bengal, we expand to accessories and menswear too. On offer are three handwoven shirts featuring bird motifs, currents of dark flowing water and white sea salt. Lastly, the scarf — handwoven in Murshidabad by Madhav Charan Dalal and hand-painted in batik by Raju Das of Shrirampur — depicts the gentle waters flowing beside flora and fauna,” he concludes.
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