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Welcome to Kutch. Imagine a desert that stretches, white, as far as the eye can see. This is the Great Rann of Kutch, an immense salt desert in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Over the centuries, its people have responded to their monochromatic surroundings by creating the most extraordinarily unique and vibrant blend of crafts, culture and music. Varana’s Kutch collection draws inspiration from this stark duality – the pristine landscape of the Rann and the extraordinary crafts it has spawned.
The salt flats of Kutch, Gujarat
The region is home to a huge number of artisanal communities who work in embroidery, weaving, ajrakh resist dye block printing, bandhani (tie-dye), leather craft, pottery, wood work and metal work. Most of all, Kutch is famed for its fabulous embroidery, the breadth and depth of which are simply mind boggling. The Rabaris, a nomadic tribe have an extremely rich repertoire of stitches and techniques the most famous of which is mirror-work embroidery.
Varana’s Rabari Collection has been inspired by the Katab technique of ribbon and cord appliqué. In this unique technique a cord is first created by looping together fabric into a long tube which is then pressed down and flattened. This cord is then securely fastened on to the base fabric of the garment through hundreds of tiny stitches going back and forth with little darting movements. The cord can be wound into any desired shape to create the appliqué.
Varana’s approach elevates the age-old craft through contemporary design. Large black & white fingerprint like forms wind their way across the field of fabulous silk to dramatic effect.
