Designer Purvi Doshi comes to Chennai with Panchatantra-inspired handpainted ensembles

Couturier Purvi Doshi is known for her love for natural, sustainable and cruelty-free fibres. Her collections have often celebrated khadi and cottons, and juxtaposed it with intricate embroidery by artisans from rural areas. Purvi’s love for mirror embroidery is no secret and she explains how she redefined the craft once she showcased the work at LFW and avers that she indeed found a global market for the craft. She further adds that the needlework of ari embroidery continues to fascinate her and she tells us that it is labour intensive and can take months to complete a piece! “Couture and festive wear is a challenge when one focuses on handicraft,” admits the couturier even as she adds that that didn’t stop her — in fact Nandita Das had worn one of her khadi creations resplendent with ari work for a red carpet event at Cannes, while Purvi took her khadi line to New York Fashion Week in 2017 adorned with local mirror work from Gujarat along with needlework embroidery.

Bringing her entire collection of more than 100 pieces for the first time to Chennai, to the Tifara boutique for a pop-up, look out for her latest Spring Summer collection — Panchatantra, the Wisdom of Life — that surprises with hand painted work on Bengal khadi. “I was inspired by the Panchtantra fables — you will find a story painted on a tunic, short tops, dresses, sari or crop tops — stories with morals that we grew up with like the Thirsty Crow,” says the designer who has been in this industry for more than two decades and is famous for the off-white hue. The designer, who is an eco-warrior, tells us with great delight, “As I researched environment friendly materials, I realised that it was not enough to work with cottons and khadis and no silks. I discovered the beautiful kala cotton — this cotton is cultivated with rainwater and uses no pesticides and is great for summer!” A couple of years back the brand went zero-waste with quirky products like dusters and yoga mats made from their scraps.

The designer will be available for appointments from 11 am to 3 pm on April 30 at Tifara, Khader Nawaz Khan Road.

Exhibition at Tifara on April 29 and 30. INR 7,000 upwards.