Ankita Dokania

MA Fashion and the Environment

Karigar - The Artisan By Ankita Dokania A Synopsis “Pressure such as the drive to consume faster and cheaper, the ever-present demand for newness and the constant reformulation of identity, damage us as individuals and collectively as a society. We are depressed, alienated, dissatisfied, and depressed, anorexic and more cynical than ever before.” (Fletcher, 2007:119) Craft is considered a healing and constructive process. The underlying nature of craft is tradition inspired by the artisan’s own life, family histories and ethnicities. India has been bestowed with a rich heritage of crafts and culture that have been handed down from one generation to the other, mastered with practice and experience. Millions of lives in India depend on this hand production. However, in this era of industrialization, craft is perceived as primitive and of inferior quality compared to the mass-produced, machine made, uniform quality goods and thus is losing its significance. Consequently, the lives of communities who are solely dependent on crafts have been deteriorating and artisans are skeptical about their children committing to this profession not only because of low wages but also for the lack of respect for their vocation. Further more these artisans are exploited by designers and are treated as laborers, losing their own creative identity in the process. This is leading to the disappearance of this treasure trove of skills. 'Karigar - The Artisan' is a small step taken to revive craft in its original form and restore the faith of the workers in their own selves. A workshop had been taken with a small group of Kantha artisans from Bengal over the period of a few weeks taking them back into the history of their own craft as well as showing them modern techniques of the process of design, which helped them to get out of their mode of passive replication and be active participants. The special thing is, each garment has been made very carefully with threads of love and emotion expressing vividly the artisans’ feelings and experiences. Bringing these stories to the consumers causes an interaction between the maker and the wearer building a strong connection amidst them. Being hand stitched these one off pieces give the sense of uniqueness to the consumers who own it. Dignity of Indian tradition matched by a pragmatic consciousness can find a place in international sun, by building on its own intrinsic assets and unique ethnicity. This collection is an expression of individuality and an appreciation of more meaningful and lasting fashion to the west and change the current habits of use and throw, breaking the vicious circle of consumption. Photographer : Jessie Bydford Model : Jess Limley Make up : Mandy Jean Jordan Contact : Email : ankitadokania@gmail.com Mobile : 0091 9831 703 693 Lookbook : www.issuu.com/ankdok/docs/karigar