Cotton is native to this region, first grown around 4000 years ago in the Indus Valley.
Jamdani originally referred to fine muslin fabrics woven with decorative motifs. The fabric was traditionally woven in communities located across Bangladesh and West Bengal. The technique was known as ‘Dhakai’, and was practiced across the undivided Indian subcontinent.
Fabrics are tied in the desired form for dyeing. Tied parts of the fabric ‘resist’ the dyeing process, retaining the color of the original cloth.
In Bandhej, dots marked on the base cloth guide the tying process. The cloth is then dyed. This process can be repeated using multiple colors to create desired patterns.
Laheriya, derived from lahar (wave), refers to the textile’s wave-like patterns. Fabric is rolled and knotted diagonally from one corner to the other, and dyed. This process may be repeated multiple times. Mothda patterns (derived from dal moth meaning ‘singular grain of legumes’) feature square checks attained by dyeing fabrics across both diagonals.
Our work with Bandhej is focused on referencing archival designs from the tradition to create textiles in silk. These pieces are intended to be historically authentic while pushing the visual language forward with challenging techniques of color and pattern.
A contemporary approach to the classic tie-dye pattern, our Laheriya saris play with the placement of patterns and intentional color blocking to enhance the ‘wave’-like movement of these fabrics. With a pared down visual language, our creations experiment with material, weight, pattern and scale. Raw Mango introduced the usage of zardozi embroidery on Laheriya fabrics to complement the gota appliqué used traditionally.
