KOCHI: Summer is here and comfy cotton attires are a must for braving the hot climate. Kochi based entrepreneur and designer, Revathy Unnikrishnan has blended comfort and fashion in her latest lineup of Kalamkari and Ajrak ethnic wears. Under her label, Jugalbandhi which has its outlets in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, the young designer has showcased semi casuals in Indian prints.
Weaved in breathable cotton fabrics, the lineup for women includes stylish versions of ethnic attires under sustainable fashion. The collection includes everyday comfort wears and premium casuals that can also go well as workwear and party wear. The designs are Indian and Indo-western and weaved in cotton fabric. The silk ajrak kaftan dresses, dresses with kalamkari prints with nizam border highlights etc are some of the stylised versions Revathy has showcased.
“Many enquiries were for attires that can be worn simultaneously for party and workplace. The party wears and premium casuals were ruled by synthetic fabrics like georgette, satin and organza only. And I wanted to up-bring natural fabrics to create such festive wear,” says Revathy.
She says cotton is the better choice for our climate. It is comfortable for people of every age group during the summertime. “These new stylised casuals in ethnic designs show how fashionable cotton can be with our native Indian prints,” she says.
Jugalbandhi’s new series is titled Mehr. These breathable and sustainable cotton dresses are weaved using natural dye colours. Revathi also gives tips to style up these Indian prints too.
“Wear a plain cotton kurti and pants with hand block print dupatta. Or wear a kurti dress with a denim jacket. Kaftans are normally not worn by many here so I tweaked them a bit. Designed like a dress, they are apt for this summertime and suitable for every body type. We also have made juthis from the leftover fabric waste. Those who wish to flaunt a complete ethnic chic look can pair their ajrak or kalamkari attires with matching fabric juthis,” says Revathi.
Ajrak and Kalamkari cotton attires have found a place in men wardrobes too. The cotton half sleeve shirts with Indian motifs and prints can go well as causals for men of every age group. “They can pair the print shirts with shorts, linen pants or dhothis. The cotton helps them feel comfortable even outdoor. Many now prefer ajrak shirts with quirky prints for their office parties or for dressing up as wedding guests,” says Revathy.
The cotton attires may bleed colour while washing. Colour bleed shows the originality of the fabric design, Revathy says. “If your kalamkari print attires face colour bleed on first two wash then they are original pieces weaved using natural dye. Colour bleed shows the quality and if it does not bleed, they are made using chemical dyes. Dry-cleaning or handwashing using shampoo will help safeguard your attires,” she says.
@jugalbandhi