Snippet * 30    Be a Bird

By

Divya Agrawal 

 

Celebrated Dutch Artist  M.C.Escher's optical illusions play with patterns, perspective and evolution to create mind twisting drawings. Legendary designer Alexander McQueen's FW2009 collection was inspired by Escher's work, overlaying impossible looking art on garments.

 

 

 Text & creative layout copyrights: On the Design Boat  ( www.onthedesignboat.com )

G O D   i s   i n   t h e   D E T A I L S

Text: Divya Agrawal

Clothing to me is an extension of self. It is, in ways, a reflection of who we are and what we think. 

I am personally partial to clothing designed with natural fabrics and handlooms; clothing that carries the warmth of the crafter's hand with little details enhancing the fabric.  Like our earlier feature on the lovely, earthy Cocoricooo, we today bring to you "Camelliatune" - a brand that offers refined, luxurious clothing for women in natural fabrics like linen, hemp, cotton etc.

Started by Tracy and based out of Hubei, China, Camelliatune's aesthetics capture one's heart. Easy silhouettes, lots of intricate stitching details (pin tucks used to stunning effect) and natural fabrics are the trademark here.

Beautifully photographed, each outfit calls for attention!

Embellishment is usually in the stitching details. The green dress above is an exception though, with lovely, abstract embroidery around the neck.

"Tangible, sensual, and personal….they suggest that craft and design are ultimately about the relationship established between makers of the things and the individuals who, by selecting and using those things, complete the creative process." Tracy, Designer, Camelliatune

Flowing beach dresses, everyday frocks and luxurious linen evening wear - you'll find them all here.

"Handcraft, natural materials, and traditional techniques are which I treasure and value most. Through my own handmade clothing, I wish for people would put aside the attitude of consumerism and cherish the rarity of the things made by hand and feelings that come along with." Tracy, Designer, Camelliatune

A wide range of colors is available to suit one's palate. 

Given that the brand is very young (2007), the range of designs on offer is wide and each is a piece to treasure. I would rate Camelliatune high on the scale for design innovation - one sees many unusual cuts and ways of structuring a garment.

According to Tracy, "a lot of my inspiration comes from Tang Dynasty folk art and 20th century styles, brief luxurious design, but also everyday life and all sorts of romantic notions and nostalgic recollections." 

With names like 'The Kingdom by the Sea' and 'Pomegranate Bloom' for the season's collections, the Designer's love for nature is all pervasive in her body of work.

Tracy's philosophy of 'change for personal growth' leads her to continually create newer designs. So grab the one that tugs at your soul at their shop here before it goes out of production!

All images: Camelliatune 

Text & creative layout copyrights: Onthedesignboat   

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S C U L P T U R A L     F A B R I C

Text: Hina Nitesh
 

In the hands of textile designer Deepa Panchamia, the traditional two dimensional fabric gets an unconventional three dimensional form. The British Indian textile artist uses simple techniques like pleating and creating pockets to manipulate the fabric. The complex geometry that results unwittingly creates smoothly flowing forms which is a hallmark of all of the artist's creations. 

Deepa graduated in constructed textiles from the Nottingham Trent University. For her, fabric is not just for making clothes but a medium for space, form and structural explorations. 

Deepa's work transcends the boundaries of 'sculptural' to become one-of-a-kind. Each piece explores the female form and attempts to enhance it.

Her portfolio of works includes, sculptures, installations as well as garments fashioned out of fabric.

The bridal gown, above, is a mosaic of techniques employed to create an exquisite piece.

Each piece is handmade and therefore each piece is different. Panchamia's creations are meant to be looked at and appreciated as works of art but are not really wearable.

She also uses the fabric for creating sculptures and installations which are a study in the interplay of light and shadows on the surface. 

Most of the designer's works are in white and shades of white as she feels that 'colours can be distracting'. It is with the neutral palette that the light and form of the fabric is best appreciated. She uses organza, cotton, linen etc for her work.

                                                    You can explore Deepa Panchamia's works and technique on her website 

All Images: Copyright Deepa Panchamia unless captioned otherwise

Text & creative layout copyrights: Onthedesignboat   

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Snippet*17  W O O L  for  S U M M E R

Text: Hina Nitesh

If I were to tell you that wool can be used for summer clothes, you will surely not believe me. But, I am not playing a prank. Rahul Mishra, the first non European recipient of the International Woolmark Prize has used merino wool to make clothes for summer.

The finely woven fiber comprises 90% wool and 10 % silk. The result is a sheer fabric which won the designer the honor.

Image Courtesy: www.arabia.style.com

The tree of life in yellow embroidered on the white background is one of the popular dresses in the collection. The embroidery in wool yarn for this collection was done by craftsmen in West Bengal and Chanderi

Image Courtesy:www.strandofsilk.com

'I wanted to change the notion that wool is a winter fabric'

Rahul Mishra

You can see more works from the designer at 

https://www.facebook.com/RahulMishra.in

Text & creative layout copyrights: Onthedesignboat   

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A   Y e a r ' s    J o u r n e y    w i t h    O T D B

Text: Divya Agrawal

On the Design Boat is a year old!  

We started a year back with a thought, of sharing with you what we find inspiring in the field of design. We are now a pulsating platform, having an extended online presence as an Etsy store where you can see more related to our design interests, having started with children's clothing.

Design inspires us. It is a constant in our lives.  

Buoyed by our encouraging readership statistics (5850 blog views to date!), we look ahead to continue to bring to you design in its many forms...

And, on our first anniversary, we would like to take you on a journey back in time to see all that OTDB has published in this one year!

Ceramics: studio pottery and clay traditions like the Pueblo storytellers

Sculpture: Paper cities, a paper boat on a journey through time

Architecture: Geoffery Bawa's residence, Retreats in Greece and South India, Boat House in Netherlands, and,

Some astonishing architectural forms in the Heydar Aliyev Centre, Baku;  Shell house, Japan; Wind shelter, England

We also brought to you lots of Product Design: design with bamboo and cane; bead curtains; user friendly and inspiring packaging design; products made out of paper pulp, and, Kantha.

Crocheted playgrounds (yes!), furniture and paper lamps besides design in food!

 We also featured traditional crafts being presented in a contemporary form - lacquer and woodwork, besides cutting edge modern design.

 Graphic design and Street Art

Jewelry Design: Contemporary and Vintage, stunning fabric jewelry by Nadia Dafri.

Art, by celebrated artists

 

and, by the common man

Fashion: featuring the simple, indigenous and creative

Using native techniques and plenty of layering

 Textile Design: Blockprints, Kalamkari  and labels rooted in these techniques

We brought Our musings to you: On color, seasons, festivals and memories..

And finally, the all encompassing Nature

We hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as we have! Look forward to having you on board as we bring newer treats :)

Text & creative layout copyrights: Onthedesignboat   

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A R T   o n   L I N E N

Text: Divya Agrawal

ANAVILA means 'Pure' in Sanskrit. An unusual name, I chanced upon the brand while researching sarees, a couple of years ago. Anavila was then offering some beautiful plain linen sarees in pastels besides a home line comprising cushion covers and framed art, both featuring some lovely botanicals.

I loved Anavila then, and now even more, having seen her art evolve over time. Anavila Misra, the lady behind this label is an artist in the true sense - she expresses and evokes emotions through her chosen canvas - fabric.

Anavila offers sarees in linen, cotton, silk in a medley of colors. The most recent collection titled "Mohenjo - Daro" is poetry in motion. Enchanting colors, prints, silhouettes - all fused together to evoke this mysterious settlement dating to the Indus Valley Civilization.

Indigo, madder red, soot black, ochre - earthy colors, all evocative of the natural and the past, feature prominently in this collection.

The Ajrakh printing technique is worthy of note in these sarees - patterns resonant of those seen in seals from the era.

Cotton was India's pride historically. Indigo was a prized discovery and made its way to the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and others from India.  These sarees embody the simplicity and finesse I associate with treasures like the finest mulmul & natural indigo...

 

Some of Anavila's earlier collections too have been breathtaking in their theme - like the picture above left featuring botanicals and the ones below, in solid colors. 

All very contemporary & luxurious, while still holding a thread to what I call 'Indian'  :)

Anavila, you made me fall in love with sarees, all over again..

Images: Anavila  

Text & creative layout copyrights: Onthedesignboat 

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S H O P   w i t h   O N   T H E   D E S I G N   B O A T

Fabric, paper, pen
And some imagination..

  

We are super excited to bring to you the 'On the Design Boat' Shop!

The last few months at OTDB have been busy for us - cross city brain storming, sourcing fabric, garment sampling and much more.

We have been able to give a physical direction to our interest in fabrics and textile techniques in the form of this collection of gorgeous khadi shirts for the little men in our lives.

Our international friends can shop at our Etsy store:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/onthedesignboat

For those of us who call India home, drop us a line at onthedesignboat@gmail.com for details.

The journey has just begun :) 

S n i p p e t  *  9       B U T T O N    M A S A L A

Text: Divya Agrawal

Image:  republicofchic.in

Clothes without a stitch! 

By designer Anuj Sharma 

Anuj uses only buttons, rubber bands & at times button straps to create wearable garments. Reinvention, experimentation & giving in to the creative side are the bywords here.

See a very inventive undertaking by the Designer here: 1 piece of fabric & its 20 facets

http://www.pinterest.com/buttonmasala/button-masala-one-hour-trial/

C L O T H E S      W i t h    a     D I F F E R E N C E

Text: Divya Agrawal

Indian Summers are varied & colorful. The plains are sweltering hot, hill stations cool. Some places have added humidity. North witnesses dust storms. Roads burn & its a luxury to be indoors during afternoons. All await Monsoons - a four month long play with rains in India!

Despite the heat and humidity, I am enjoying Summer for its fruits - Mangoes & Litchi :) This is the ideal time to drown oneself in cool fruit drinks. Check out Paperboat for some amazing Indian flavors.

And now for those of us rummaging for comfortable cottons to beat the summer heat, clothes with a difference, all the way from Thailand, by Cocoricooo. 

A team of six manages this label, that uses only natural fabrics - cotton, rayon, linen, silk. Working out of Chiang Mai, a beautiful mountain city in Thailand, the team derives inspiration from nature around it. 

Cocoricooo, to me is "Out of the box Designs". 

Be it Dresses, Tops or Bottoms (especially) one can see a new take on garment design & construction.

I particularly liked this shrug for its many 'avataars'!

Bottoms - neither a trouser nor a skirt! 

What shall we call this but pure Ingenuity..

Easy silhouettes and fine detailing are the hallmarks of this label. 

I love the flow & fall of these garments.

Don't you love their color palette - earthy in line with the natural fabrics they use. 

Again, a different take on winter coats. Still a few months away for those of us in the midst of summers to consider :)

Cocoricooo sells online through sites like Etsy & Dwanda.  

A great advantage is you get to choose from their fabric swatches, the color you would like the garment made in!

Go summer shopping here from Cocoricooo

All images: Cocoricooo

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