Ethnic festive wear label Ummaira, started two years back by Debaroopa Bhattacharyya, has come up with a stunning range of pre-festive wear called Shoi (meaning a female friend), celebrating the essence of harmony and friendship among women cutting across all ages and professions.
The vibrant collection displaying intricate work offers designs catering to all kinds of aesthetics. Indulge gets exclusive pictures of the collection and we speak to founder designer Debaroopa to know more.
Tell us all about Shoi.
Shoi celebrates the essence of feminine friendship with sari sagas, demolishing age-old stereotypes like age, shape, size and colour.
We have used vibrant colours in both their solid and shadow versions with bright tones for evening wear and cocktail parties and pastels for morning occasions. Any sari has the potential of complimenting all shapes and sizes and Shoi silhouettes amalgamate elements of A-Line, Empire Waist and Mermaid to create a dramatic look for any event. There are saris in khadi georgette, silk, tissue organza, resham, muslin, organic line Bishnupur katan, kanjivaram, mulberry silk and hand-spun cotton. All of them have fresh, glamorous, contemporary, and easy-to-carry vibes.
What’s the idea behind the collection
The dominant idea behind this collection was to intertwine the timelessness of heritage weaves with eternal bonding among females. Feminine friendship has a deep-rooted connection with feminine taste in attire, music, books, cuisine, romance, travel, housekeeping and even gossip. From Hellen Keller and Ann Sullivan to Virginia Woolf and Katherine Mansfield; from Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald to Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox; time has been testimony to great feminine friendships that have transcended age, race, religion, stature, professional rivalry, ego and all such man-made contingencies.
In India, significant feminine friendships date back to the times of Mahabharata like that of Kunti and Madri, or Draupadi and Bhanumati, but females have only recently begun standing up for each other and speaking for each other.
And sari is a huge cementing force, hence Shoi intends to explore the same.
What will be trending this Puja?
Maximalism will rule this festive season and there will be a surge in demand for Indo-western outfits like pairing a traditional lehenga or sari with a modern crop top or jacket. Embroidered outfits and floral prints along with pleated saris will be a rage.
How do you approach sustainability as a clothing label?
We at Ummaira stand for and support all endeavours that enable us to contribute towards sustainable fashion. From collaborating with handloom workers and weavers to using organic dyes, blocks and paints for our designs, to re-creating archaic, long-forgotten motifs on recycled fabric, and reaching out to weavers in the remotest pockets of the country, especially in Bengal, Assam and the North-East, we have made an earnest effort to be a responsible brand.
What are the other collections you are working on currently?
The wedding season is in the offing and a sleek and stylish collection for the minimalist bride is in the making. The brides of today are all for "individuality" when it comes to wedding trousseau. She is socially conscious and environmentally responsible and more often than not she is an animal lover. No wonder therefore her natural penchant is towards colours that define her effervescent personality, fabrics that flatter her shape and skin texture, cuts that are easy to carry and silhouettes that flatter her individuality.
The Minimalist Bride signature collection comprises natural fabrics like Tassar, Katan, Khaddi, Eri, Muga and Organic Linen that complement all skin textures and diverse silhouettes. In embroidery patterns, we have used Kashmiri Ari, sui dhaga, Kashida, Katha, Fishbone, Kutchi, cross stitch, Zardozi etc. to achieve the streamlined sophistication that the bride of today aspires to adorn on her D-Day.
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From the colourful Haldi ceremony to the Mehendi, from the ceremonial registry to the flamboyant sangeet and the traditional "Pheras" and "Bidaai", from the intimate cocktails to the resplendent reception, every colour, both in their warm and pastel incarnations, has been explored for this collection which we have lovingly christened Yahvi meaning horizon.
All sustainable approaches have been adopted and Indian heritage weaves and practices from Kanni to Kanjeevaram, from Paithani to Muga and from Pochampally to Patachitra have been employed to enrich this wedding festive collection.