Textiles India 2017 was a mega exhibition and initiative that was organized by the Ministry of Textiles to showcase the strength of the Indian textile industry. The event took place from 30th June through 2nd July and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was there to inaugurate and be a keynote speaker for the event, which was held in Gujarat’s capitol city Gandhinagar. Modi’s philosophy and vision behind the event was, “From Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign Exports”.
As the primary producers in the world for both cotton and jute, sustainability was indeed one of the key topics of discussion during the event and fashion shows, where couture designers such as Amit Aggarwal displayed their collections that had a focus on sustainability. Shows such as this highlight the importance of artisans and weavers in the fashion industry and bring awareness so that these lost arts can be revived. India as a subcontinent has so much to offer in textiles, as each region has their own heirloom techniques and bringing them into mainstream fashion will be of value not only to the industry as a whole, but also to the farmers, artisans, weavers, and craftsmen.
Aggarwal’s collection at the exhibition featured several vintage heritage pieces such as Patola sarees that he restored and incorporated into his designs. By using these otherwise unusable pieces, Aggarwal is bringing India’s heritage back to life and Seams For Dreams is happy to see that more designers are using vintage in the present day fashion world. As for the event, initiatives such as this help spotlight the value of sustainability and India is at the forefront of it all.
Keep giving in style!
Team SFD
