Kalamkari in a designer avataar soon

Pulleswara Rao, trainer from weaver’s society of Vijayawada, demonstrating Kalamkari block printing at a workshop organised by Samana Institute of Fashion Technology in Vijayawada on October 18, 2011. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

The traditional Kalamkari block prints may soon acquire a designer avataar if the plans of the city-based Samana Institute of Fashion Technology (SIFT) bear fruits.

Fashion junkies have always wanted innovation with a traditional streak and the SIFT is game to set the ball rolling for the process to unwind. Giving shape to its long-term plans which include setting up a local Kalamkari block print unit to spare the local crowd of the pain of travelling all the way to Pedana to buy the stuff, the SIFT organised a day-long workshop on its premises on Sunday for its second semester students.

A group of 35-odd students attended the workshop where G. Pulleswara Rao, senior trainer from the dyeing department of the Weavers’ Society of Vijayawada, explained to the girls the nitty-gritty of the block printing.

Fascinated by the mechanism of using the blocks with detailed and elaborate designs carved on them, the girls later tried their hand at the traditional art.

Besides explaining to the young learners about the fastness of the colours which is ensured by washing, bleaching and sunning on cloth using vegetable dyes, Mr. Rao threw light on the right mix of colours.

“How to choose and make the base colour is important. Selection of appropriate print, the right colour scheme and use of single or double blocks and a plethora of other issues are to be kept in mind while creating a design,” he said.

“I intend to add Kalamkari block printing in the fashion designing course. The Pedana prints attract people. We can start a local unit and provide work to housewives from middle class households,” Institute CEO Samana Moosavi toldThe Hindu.

“Unlike the artisans, our young designers can play with colours and use their innovative streak to give the print a contemporary look,” she said.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / News> Cities> Vijaywada / by P. Sujatha Varma / December 19th, 2011

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