In recent years, a growing number of designers have championed the practice of up-scaling old outfits or moving towards more sustainable practices. But Bengaluru-based brand Sustainable Suz, by designer Susan Fernandes, has spent the last 27 years transforming her clients’ old fabrics or leftover pieces of clothing, including some of India’s extraordinary weaves, into beautiful, breathable and contemporary ensembles. On a cheerful Monday afternoon, we paid a visit to the designer’s boutique, which is a quaint corner surrounded by bougainvillea blossoms, as if borrowed from Greece. Every piece of decor that adorns her studio is repurposed, including the walls of a baby crib that now display ensembles designed by Susan. We were greeted with a warm welcome by her fur baby Ginger, who was very hospitable throughout our chat, where the founder of the label spilled tea on her upcoming collections and a special kowdhie (quilt) sale scheduled for this weekend.
Embracing her Kannada heritage, Susan is preparing for her upcoming non-profit event — The Kowdhie Sale — a celebration of recycling old saris into kowdhie quilts. The kowdhie is a patchwork quilting tradition practiced by women in northern Karnataka. Typically made from discarded cloth for household use, these quilts are fashioned from a mix of printed and plain pieces, which are cut into geometric shapes and sewn together. “The kowdhies are being made by a group of female artisans from Gulbarga, who used to work in construction sites. Through this initiative, we aim to preserve their craft and also help them earn a living from the comfort of their homes, doing what they love most. All the proceeds from this sale will go to the ladies crafting these quilts and I have also made a special request to everyone attending the sale to leave the aesthetic decisions of the patchwork entirely to the artisans.”
Shifting the focus to what’s on offer, the designer presents a light blue dress with mega-sleeves and a slight flare, detailed with motifs of Karnataka’s millet crops like ragi and bajra embroidered on the bottom right corner. “These ensembles were designed to promote local millets, which are much more nutritious than rice and wheat. The capsule will be available in various shades, including grey and green at my upcoming pop-ups in the city.” This Summer, the label will be unveiling an edit of embroidered dresses boasting a white lining and playful prints on the inside. One can also shop for beach dresses and holiday ensembles like classic white shirts in fabrics like cotton, linen and khadi. That’s not all, walk into the shop with your heirloom saris or blouses and have them up-scaled into stylish silk bomber jackets.
₹3,500 onwards. At Sustainable Suz, Magrath Road.
Email: srushti@newindianexpress.com