Sohrai Art by Chandana L. and R. Karishmma Gayathri
Diploma in Fashion Design
Sohrai Art, a fashion collection by Chandana L. and R. Karishmma Gayathri, is inspired by a traditional wall art form made by the tribal women of Jharkhand. This ancient art form, created during the Sohrai festival, is an oral expression of gratitude to their animals and crops, and passed down through mothers to daughters. Despite its historical significance and cultural heritage, Sohrai art is relatively unknown within the fashion community.
With this collectio,n they intend to showcase the artwork of Sohrai art but also to fulfil and promote the beautiful art of sohai in a fashion collection that interprets this art form in a formal, aesthetic, minimal, and modern way that is appropriate for wearing on formal occasions when celebrating a culture or heritage.
The fabrics were chosen to highlight the sustainability of khadi cotton, jute, and twilled cotton and to give an earthy appeal in nature or element, as the area is known for being eco-conscious, with the need for awareness of living a sustainable life and the need for preserving elements of traditional heritage, as textiles were provided with oils, with ancient art forms of visual narratives. When designing the collection, the colour palette is derived from the Sohrai art pieces, focusing on the earthy tones of black, yellow, red, brown, and white, which all contribute to a natural, grounded, and organic visual identity.
They acknowledge the importance of pausing, holding, preserving, and caring for ways of making, to complement, adapt to today’s context, each culture is shaped by culture, and they propose a functional collection to promote the ideas. They developed a refined collection while embodying aspects of traditions and the significance of staying rooted to the cultural heritage they represent, while simultaneously representing, expressing and engaging modernity.
This sensibility is sensitive to issues of cultural appropriation and innovation and ensures that the art of Sohrai is newly and globally represented, with respect and purpose.
