Avishya x Anahita Apoorva: Trendsetters in tune

Avishya, which is known for Indian handloom saris and apparels, has collaborated with Carnatic musicians, Anahita and Apoorva, the winners of the Spirit of Youth Award from the Music Academy, Madras, and the best performers awards from several other prestigious Sabhas, for their latest collection. 
Avishya x Anahita Apoorva signifies a harmonious blend of timeless traditions and an inspiring fusion of melody and artistry. The talented artistes graced the stage on their US Fall Tour 2023, donning Avishya handloom saris with the brand being their official wardrobe partner. 

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“This unique collaboration is more than just a sartorial choice; it’s a harmonious fusion of melody and handloom, showcasing the vibrant tapestry of Indian culture to the US and the world,” says Avishya, founder Jawahar Singh, and adds that traditional Indian classical music shares a lot of intrinsic brand values that Avishya has always stood for — pride in India’s rich and diverse heritage and culture, timeless elegance of India’s arts and artisans, and the beauty of harmony in music and weaves. “What struck us most was Anahita and Apoorva’s passion and commitment to mainstreaming Indian Carnatic music and popularising it with a younger audience. Since 2016, Avishya has always strived to democratise and broad-base traditional Indian handlooms and India inspired apparel — especially with younger consumers. So, there was a natural fit in shared values and vision, which enabled successful brand collaboration,” he says.
 

Founder Kalaivani Sadagopan tells us that the connection between the ragas they perform and the handloom saris they wear serves as a poignant reminder of the symbiotic relationship between music and textiles in India. “That was the basic idea that emerged during our initial discussion and this collaboration is a tribute to our rich cultural heritage and the invaluable work of our artisans,” she adds.

About the collaboration, Anahita tells us that they are extremely passionate about taking their music across the world and an exposure into an equally fascinating world of Indian handlooms inspired them to bring both together.

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For their Fall Tour of USA this year, they choose specific handlooms from different parts of the country and combined them with music from these places. A few specific handloom fabrics hold significance in the singers’ Carnatic music journey. “Kanchipurams are preferred by several artistes followed by soft silks and silk cottons; Mangalagiri and Chettinad are popular too,” says Kalaivani. 

The Carnatic musicians envision the synergy between the art of Carnatic music and the craft of handloom weaving. “Combining handlooms with music can give a different dimension to both, apart from the fact that it will make for a stunning visual and auditory experience. Carnatic compositions and ragas often have stories and history attached to them, and so do textiles. Weaving these together can add depth and we experienced this personally in our concerts, whether it was concerts where we presented something related to Kashmiri  Kani silks  or Chanderis from Madhya Pradesh,” Apoorva adds.

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— manuvipin@newindianexpress.com