We stopped in at Pearl for a farewell. We were brought to the conference rooms where we held a feedback session with Devender who kindly helped organise the logistics and planning of our trip. We discussed our favourite memories and experiences of the trips, as well as were some slight improvements could be made to ensure an even better trip for the future. Overall everyone was very thankful for the truly once in a life time opportunity.

Pearl Academy has been a real treat these past few days, the way they go out of their way to please us including some flowers, constant offering of tea or coffee and even some sandwiches and brownie for breakfast! The students at Pearl are so lucky to have access and the investment from the University to really push the limits. A discussion of a future collaboration on a collection was suggested along with the pros and cons that come with.

Next on the agenda was a visit to Nature Bazzar – an outdoor plaza that specialises in exotic craft from around India. The centre is owned by an NGO by the name of ‘DASTKAR’ that focuses on crafts and craftspeople, with an aim to empower national economics and earning among artisans. This is a really exciting place where all the different kinds of Indian Crafts and treats are all in the same location, but with this comes the inflation of price from tourists. But nevertheless each one of us indulged in a we bit of shopping, I was lucky enough to pick up a few woolen items as the weather is New Zealand is beginning to look a little sad i thought i would come prepared.

One of the latest additions to our week’s schedule was a visit to Ghandi’s last place of settling at Birla House, New Delhi, where he spend the final 144 days of his life.
We learnt a lot about the significance of Gandhi to the history of India and her independence. It was very interesting to learn that Gandhi had a massive impact on reviving the cotton industry in India, which undoubtedly has had a lasting effect on the economy and independence of the nation to this day. He encouraged rebellion towards wearing western clothes, in particular British textiles, by way of calling for all textiles of such to be burned in public places. A return to tradition happened as a result, then he called for every family to revive the use of their long-forgotten cotton wheels, leading to the empowerment of thousands of women across the nation, and finally a huge reduction in poverty. The overall reduction in poverty did not happen solely through the revival of the cotton wheel, however, it did help immensely.

We were able to see the very modest room that Ghandi slept in and hand-spun his cotton yarns as a way of meditating.

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Tomorrow will be our last day in India we only have 1 site to see left and then to relax for the rest of the day with an evening flight.

Today we began back at Pearl Academy putting the last touches into our sari up-cycling project. As everyone’s garments slowly began assembling onto mannequins, the talent of the Whitecliffe students was really on display, we all managed to create exceptionally beautiful outfits in a small time frame using stunning, colourful saris. As previously mentioned all of these saris were dead stock and/or damaged and had come from a business that has now closed down. I think the teachers at Pearl Academy were in slight shock as we preferred to sew our own garments even though we had access to a tailor. I guess this shows the experience and skill everyone from Whitecliffe holds with them as we do the entire process from designing to making.

I was very happy with my draping as it has been a long time without using a pattern or a block and working from that. I think I am quite comfortable with my style for fashion, i hope that the garment i have created reflects the inspiration from the draping of the Sari.

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At 11am we created a set up for our finished garments to display to the other students what our style and inspiration has created. A presentation of Whitecliffe was presented by Zorica and Tom they touched on what Whitecliffe stands for, some examples of works, and a little about New Zealand. These differences between Whitecliffe and Pearl is that the institutions and countries creates an interesting and thought provoking dialogue which benefits all involved with critical knowledge and learning.

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After our presentation we set off on a 30 min drive through Delhi’s central diplomatic district, which hosts an assortment of embassies from around the world, to the Crafts Museum. With only two more days left in India the museum (and it’s beautiful gift shop) was an awesome way of reliving all of the memories we have created thus far on our trip with plenty of us purchasing gifts as keepsakes for once we are home. I was lucky enough to take away a little piece of history with me, very tarnished however i guess once it is cleaned up only then will you be able to appreciate the true beauty. I have to say I definitely came away with a real treasure today.

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Coming to an end of our trip, I really can’t wait to get home and spend time with my family and animals, especially my baby Ralph. I had a great birthday and it was just another day in India. I was spoilt with joy and happiness with some special people.

A few images below of the Delhi landscapes.

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We have been lucky enough gifted this opportunity to see fashion as something worldwide, and not just in an isolated form that we are used to in New Zealand. Having the chance to meet and interact with students and teachers who are doing the same things as us elsewhere in the world is something that creates a much wider perspective for us as fashion students. It was quite interesting to see the setup of the University and the way that the students work.

Today begun with a Sari draping workshop – we were taught a few various ways that a Sari can be draped and tied. There are in fact more than 28 ways that a Sari can be draped, however a couple of the most common techniques were showed to us this morning. The way and side the Sari is draped can be seen as formal wear for weddings and special occasions opposed to your very casual everyday wear.

A Sari is an elegant way of covering the body with a single piece of cloth that involves no stitching, it merely folds and drapes over the natural shape of a woman’s (or man’s) body. The ways one can wear a Sari differs throughout the states of India, the way a woman wears her Sari can indicate where she is from or what people group she belongs to. The Style of Sari can also change according to your status or what kind of work you do.

Handwoven fabrics are preferred, as they are more suitable to India’s generally very hot climate, as well as having a nicer drape. The fabrics must be breezy and comfortable, allowing air to pass through.

After the demonstration, we got in to small groups and were given the chance to choose out of a selection of Saris that we would be up-cycling into new garments. The Saris were dead stock and/or damaged that had come from a business that has now closed down. Our task for the day was to use these fabrics to create something new. We could either focus on draping or create our own patterns to make a new type of garment. This was a key part of the workshop, to create something out of fabrics that would otherwise probably never be used at all.

The variance in Indian art and textile styles derives from that fact that India has a huge trading history, where neighboring countries would travel to trade coveted items, meaning that India was hugely influenced by those surrounding countries and their styles and customs. Foods, fabric and stitching techniques, art and dress style all came together to create new versions of what already existed.

Today we started our day visiting Pearl Academy. We were warmly welcomed with some beautiful roses and lovely smiles. It was great to meet Mr Devender Kumar, the man who organised our wonderful trip and to greet him.

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The academy had unique interior in which they strongly focused on showcasing their students work. However i did think the layout of the university was a little strange and this was due to it being a mall previously before Pearl Academy bought it. During the tour, we were told that the academy strongly focused on collaboration of their students. They had offered courses, in which those students would then collaboratively work. We were all very impressed with the the great range of equipment and supplies provided for the students (especially the hand looms) and looked forward to our week at the academy. It seemed like the students had access to everything and anything at the campus, which was really exciting to see the a few of the products produced.

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After our tour we headed off to the House of Wandering Silk studio. The company has a beautiful storytelling belief. At the house of Wandering silk, each artisan, each place and each technique add to their story of their textiles. They believe that every piece made specially by hand for beginning to end, bring together skills, traditions and culture from all across the artisan communities of Asia. The company partners with a careful selection of organisations and directly with all artisans to ensure that fair livelihood opportunities are offered to woman who need it most and that all artisans treated fairly. They focus on using upcycled, handmade and vintage materials for their designs and have a zero waste policy.

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We then headed off to the Santushti Shopping Complex. The complex was situated in the diplomatic area of New Delhi. It lies within the Airforce land and is thus a very secure place. The complex is run and curated  by the Air Force officers wives. There were many lovely shopping boutiques such as Tulsi, Canvas, Anokhi as well some wonderful souvenir, jewellery and artifacts stores. The entire complex was surrounded by lots of greenery and had a peaceful atmosphere. There was also a tea shop and various cafes and dining outlets to dig into. Personally one of my favorite shopping experiences so far, the layout of the little shops and each one being different from the next. It was definitely an afternoon well spent before digging deep in to my pocket to find some more funds for the last week of this trip.

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As today was a weekend with nothing scheduled, we stayed in the hotel. This was a day to focus on our university work and prepare for our upcoming week.

Leaving the Hotel at 8.30 didn’t quite go to plan due to a few extra charges on the rooms, but nether the less we were at the airport with enough time to spare to get a quick bite. A few off the options included Subway, Pizza Hut, and the famous KFC. Personally i enjoyed a fresh subway 6-inch with plenty of fresh salad and a double chocolate chip cookie. We were in a rush to board the plane due to a few last minute bathroom rushes once seated on the plane we were ready for a little over 2 hour flight.

Kolkata has been fun however it really is a whole different side of India, there were hardly any street kids but there were plenty of elder street side beggars. The motto of Safe drive, Save life is quite the quote for Kolkata everywhere you go. There is plenty of greenery and we even saw a tropical storm one night in Krishnanagar, people definitely weren’t as welcoming as the west but i think this is due to the curiosity of why we were in their city.

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A little bit of a bumpy flight but we had landed in Delhi. A thick grey colour covered the sky due to the polution is Dehli. A huge bus with fake grass in the aisles was just what we needed to put a smile on our faces, we definitely we riding in style to the hotel.

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We arrived at 3.30pm and prepared for our last week, all very eager to get back to the comforts of home and New Zealand. The hotel is very nice and spacious, nice bathroom and interior; the same can’t be said about the other places we have stayed. Maybe some only slightly short from a horror story, as you laugh at the irony and question if it could get worse. However we unpacked, showered, had a very nice dinner and complimented by some ice cream and off to bed to rest up for our last week.

A well deserved sleepin this morning to perk up everyone with a great variety of foods for breakfast such as toast, fruit, traditional Indian, and a few pastries at De Empresa Hotel. Was just what we needed after a long bus ride to Kolkata. Personally I enjoyed some muesli, fruit, and toast to keep me well energized for the busy day ahead.

Kantha Embroidery is only found in West Bengal, the ladies will normally be taught around the age of 14 and will then progress and continue embroidery for many years. They work around 6 hours per day and the products are sold through the Sasha Shop.

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The process begins with a design being with a selected design that is then transferred on to Khada (Tracing paper) tiny holes are punched in according to the design, a liquid is used over the holes and the design now on the fabric so the emboirdery can begin. Sometimes the embroidery only follows the outline other times the designs are coloured in with various Anchor embroidery threads.

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Adda is a traditional embroidery hoop however due to modern advancement plastic embroidery hoops are often used by the ladies as the find it easier to work with. Kantha embroidery often uses many layers of fabric to achieve the softness you see of the fabric, an almost stuffed look. When silk is used it is often only 2 layers of fabric but for cotton 3-4 layers are used and the edges are all sealed using a blanket stitch. The fabric is sourced from the local market.

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Next stop was the Sasha shop where we could find a very wide range of gifts and goods to buy. Sahsa is an NGO company thats collective mission of the entire network is to strengthen, support, and expand market opportunities for establishing channels that help crafts and craftspeople to address challenges and thrive in changed scenarios; this network also strives to bring about an improvement in the quality of their lives through various linkages and interventions while addressing their marketing needs.

The mutual bond between Sasha and its producer partners and the intrinsic values of Sasha network is reflected in the Sasha Brand. The complementary synergy of the creative aspirations of indigenous artisans and modern, fresh outlook of the professional designers finds expression in some interesting products and applications.

From clothing, bags, jewellery, natural face creams, lotions, oils, home wares and many other beautiful items. All of the students walked away with something quite special whether to keep or gift; a great sense of reward knowing that all the items are fair trade.

Today was a very early start due to the silk spinning as the in the heat of the day the yarns start to split and ruins the product.

We were welcomed by the locals and laughed at for enjoying the company of the local goats and enjoying a pat or two. When we arrived they were spinning the silk we were able to watch the process of the silk worms being removed from the cocoons. They have many cocoons at once in a pot of boiling water with some oil to ensure the cocoons don’t stick to each other.

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We were lead to a building where they showed us the the dala which is a large woven circular device in which the new silk worms will stay and eat mulberry leaves in a dark and cool temperature room made from mud. Once the silk worms have matured they are then place in a nest that has a spiral made from weaving similar to the Dala which the silk worms will continue to mature and eventually turn into a cocoon. If the worm breaks the cocoon and a butterfly breaks out these cocoons can’t be used as the thread is to short due to the hole in the shell.

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Mulberry silk is considered the highest grade silk due to the fact that they are able to harvest long lengths of it when the cocoons are ready. After we went to a near by village to have a look at the bleaching and starching process once the silk is woven into a piece of fabric.

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It was quite interesting to be able to understand the process of silk and the reason it is such an expensive fabric to buy back in New Zealand. Looking at the process of silk is quite sad in the way that the worms are hurt however to find peacefully made silk is a very hard hunt. Let alone being able to verify that there weren’t any worms harmed in the making of the product is a whole different story.

After strolling around the village we were invited into his home where he has a small store room where many people purchased some of his fabrics. You can obviously tell he is very proud of his silk when showing everyone in his store room. After our excursion into the land of silk we once again hit the road, next stop central Kolkata.

Another day in Kolkata and today we were visiting a Muslin weaving site. We visited the Bhubaneswari Textile Kalbarri Muslin Khadi Unit, established by Debendra Debnath in Kalna in 1948, after his families migration from Bangladesh. In present day this unit is run by one of his descendants, Rajeet. In 2013, the traditional art of weaving jamdani was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The historic production of Jamdani was patronized by imperial warrants of the Mughal Emprerors. Under British Colonialism, the Bengali Jamdani and Muslin industries rapidly declined due to colonial import policies favoring industrially manufactured textiles. In more recent years, the production of jamdani has witnessed a revival. Jamdani is typically woven using a mixture of cotton and gold thread.

They use a special cotton that is a long fibre called Suvin cotton which is hard to find due to global warming has altered the long fibres to become short fibres. However it can be found out the local market and dyed locally. A muslin loom looks a lot like a pitt loom but the technique is different and much finer. The loom takes 10 days to warp up and generally takes more then one month to make a few metres depending on the design and thread count. Muslin cloth is the equivalent to a 5ply toilet paper typically. The bobin threads are dyed with chemicals and the upper threads are naturally dyed is result the exposed threads on the outer of the garment are a lot brighter but the naturally dyed threads are on the skin so little to no irritation is caused.

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Khadi cotton is classified as any thread count under 100 threads. Anything over 100 thread count is Muslin. The thread count works much like gold the higher the carrots the more expensive the product, therefore the higher the thread count the finer the fabric, the more hours required to produce the fabric, the more expensive the product. Sometimes extra weft can be used to add more texture to the fabric and to help add some interesting designs.

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The special technique of using the Jamdani design with muslin cloth this is a very unique and difficult technique to master. Even a luxury design Gucci is a customer of Rajeet. I was lucky enough to come away with some beautiful 150 thread count with an extra weft of 80 and 100 threads to be naturally dyed and used for my collection in a variety of garments.

Our day started off with visit a a local weaving village in Birnagar, specifically looking at the dye of the yarns and the natural dyes used. The natural dyes used for this company was Tumeric, Indigo, Madder, Myrobalan, Pomegranate and also azoz free dyes. All the colours were fixed using Alum.

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We also spotted a few monkeys hanging out over the fence, however we were warned about how dangerous and mean they can also be.

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Ushagram trust operates in 14 villages in Birnagar. It’s aim is to include education, community health, rehabilitation projects, awareness generation, sustainable farming and income generation for rural women and youth. Around 40 women and artisans are directly benefited from this initiative in Batik, Jute, Handloom and food processing.

We also visited a local school meeting many kids and shaking hands. All the excitement of wanting to know our names and telling us theirs. On the way we also passed a local cattle house while the cows where feeding.

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