Priyal Turakhia’s debut edit lends plastic a new lease of life 

Gujarat-born and Siliguri-based Priyal Turakhia’s label Nirantar’s debut edit, Could Be, makes a powerful statement with its futuristic approach towards a sustainable environment. Steered by pragmatism, the 24-year-old budding couturier attempts at taking upcycling to another level by incorporating single-use plastic in her first collection. The plastic sequences and beads on handwoven organic cotton are wearable and eyecatching but her fashion philosophy goes beyond recycling plastic. Working with the artisans of West Bengal, her zero-dyeing approach addresses excessive water pollution that’s rampant in the fashion industry. Priyal takes us through Could Be. Excerpts.

What was the idea behind Could Be?

Could Be metaphorically hints at the possibilities of all that we usually overlook in the passing and is a culmination of the Fashion Forward Fellowship which I won. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi, Could Be incorporates single-use plastics from shampoo bottles and other plastic scraps turning them into something beautiful. The intention of the collection is to encourage reflection on how we treat our waste and rather, redefine what we call ‘waste’. We have used plastic waste and hand-woven organic cotton from Kutch and Gujarat with no dyeing involved at any stage. All the plastics used for the collection was sourced locally from Siliguri with about 700 gm of sequins being used per garment.

How did you play up the plastic in this edit?

The idea behind the collection was to play with undyed organic cotton fabric and build a playful aesthetic by embellishing it with multi-coloured sequins. The sequins’ colours in this collection include blue, red, white, gold and green, all made from locally sourced plastic waste.

Your future plans?

It would be a capsule collection and is in the development stage. A lot of ideas are brewing in my head at this moment, which will soon manifest in my upcoming contemporary and daily wear designs.

Rs10,000 onwards

Also read: Kolkata-based Kavita Kajaria launches 8finity, a celebration of sustainability and artisanal craft