Tao Comme des Garcons label to close

Rei Kawakubo’s Comme des Garcons has announced that their women’s wear sub-label designed by Tao Kurihara will be closed. The label was founded in 2005. The spring 2011 shown in Paris in October will be its last. Tao Kurihara, a Central St Martin graduate, worked with Junya Watanabe at Garcons from the start after graduating in 1997, and this was her first line for the company. As per a Tao spokesperson who spoke to WWD, "Tao wants to have a change of lifestyle and prefers to concentrate her creative energies on the ever popular label Tricot Comme des Garçons, shown in Tokyo twice a year."

Manipur’s Mawi Keivom jewelry is international favorite

The London based jewelry designer of Indian origin, Mawi Keivom is in town with her latest spring/summer 2011 line, which is a blend of contemporary futuristic and traditional. She has wisely divided the collection in three sub themes, ‘Candy Lots’ is about pastel colors with large Swarovski Crystals, ‘Deco Walk’ inspired by the Art Deco movement, a very colourful ‘Tutti Fruity’ with vivid gems and chunky chains and pearls. Mawi ‘s line is stocked at Harrods, Selfridges and the high-end Ozel boutique. Her client list has such celebrity names as Sienna Miller, Emma Watson, Cheryl Cole, Alexa Chung, Leigh Lezark and Kate Moss. Having traveled extensively across the world, to such diverse regions as Kenya, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Burma, Italy, New York etc, her sensibility is truly global and unique.

Eco-friendly, organic, green, sustainable-words that have become almost de rigueur for every label, brand, designer or manufacturer, by virtue of a movement that picked up force over the last two years. ‘If it’s ethical it’s alright’ became the consumer sentiment. The environment lobbies got a helping hand from the recessionary winds that blew away excessive consumerism and forced the more esoteric – frugal – thought processes. It’s passé to flaunt new designer wear at every flashbulb moment, and ‘recycle, reuse’ is the thing to do. Post the first flush, several issues regarding commercial viability and authenticity of claims emerged, followed by implementation of new rules and regulations, technological innovations to keep the consumer informed, emergence of several media and personal initiatives in the form of magazines, newsletters, blogs, twitter, e-zines etc that educate the consumer even as they report.

Is the change here to stay, or is it another passing fad that will die its own death even as the economy is picking up? The cynics and Cassandras may nod in agreement, but there are several others, those in the thick of it and at the forefront, who see the rise and rise of this movement in the current year. Giving it ample support is the new, more aware buyer who is resorting to smart consumption. Fashion forward designers with a conscience have already introduced such concepts as Six Items or Less, the Uniform Project and Alabama Chanin’s DIY movement. Sarah Scaturro, the textile conservator, Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum says in Ecouterre.com, “ The DIY movement will continue to emphasize the reworking and mending of old clothes, and recycling clothing is going to become further embedded as a social norm.” Summer Rayne Oakes, Model, Author, Co-Founder Of Source4style has this to say about consumer trends in 2011, “As much as the economy is moving towards mass production and fast fashion, a growing legion of slow-fashion stalwarts who revel in one-of-a-kind style, vintage fashion finds, and unique pieces will influence larger sales trends.” Fashion designers, your time to flaunt your creativity is here. As the buyer will seek out one-of-a-kind classic that will be for keeps, there will be less scrimping on the costs. I am only echoing the words of the executive director of Earth Pledge, Leslie Hoffman, “The economy has many of us being pushed to this position, and concern for the environment demands it. With minimizing your consumption as an overriding goal, quality and durability become paramount, and classic fundamental items that can be appreciated and integrated into your style for years to come are the logical choice.”

In the Indian context, several of the parameters of sustainability or eco friendly are already addressed in the traditional formats of handloom weavers, natural dyes, hand block prints. The trick lies in reviving this, without resorting to short cuts and several of our designers are already at the forefront showing the way. Samant Chauhan’s single minded pursuit in the revival and support to the Bhagalpuri silk industry, Wendell Rodricks’ commendable investment to bring to light the Kurmi weave, Rahul Mishra’s initiatives in infusing new techniques to traditional units on the blink, Muzaffar and Mira Ali’s Kotwara label, which works at many levels in terms of social support, Ritu Kumar, there are several such crusaders whose names are missing here and not because they are less important or prominent. We do have issues vis-à-vis flouting of norms pertaining to wages of labors, working conditions, child labor etc, but heightened policing and awareness should keep this in check.

Over and above all else are the educators who have a key role to play. For instance, in the early days of the eco rush, cotton at large became the darling. Until we got the education that cotton farming requires 25% of the world’s pesticides, a great deal of fertilizer and water, and more chemicals in the form of bleaches and dyes. Also that often products labeled ‘organic’ are only blends and not necessarily 100% organic. The new thrust is again towards techno fibers that are cheaper to produce, require easy maintenance, durable and recyclable. The non-breathing polyester is being invoked in a new avatar and designers of the caliber of Issey Miyake have shown a preference for it. The sports apparel industry is already out with performance apparel made of moisture wicking polyester.

It is time for eco-fashion clothing to become accessible and available to all, and the year 2011 will see some key evolutionary practices coming into place.

-by NMA

The Third National Handloom Census (2009-10) report that was released last month, showed a 33% decline in the total weavers in the handloom sector. The reason being attributed to this is the possibility of migration of workers to urban areas in search of better scope for livelihood and education. Another significant data that emerged from this report was the rise in the number of handloom households, from 25 lakhs in the second census to 27.8 lakhs in the present study. Of the total handloom households, 87 % are rural and 13 % are urban. The event, which was held in New Delhi, saw the distribution of photo identity cards to weavers. Present at the occasion were several Government of India dignitaries like Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of Textiles, Tmt. Panabaaka Lakshmi, Minister of State for Textiles and Tmt. Rita Menon, Secretary (Textiles), Government of India. The full report is available with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Udyog Bhavan, New Delhi.