- Tell us about your label, your design journey, foray into fashion events like the LIFW and so on.
Sanjukta’s Studios is a high-end woman’s clothing label that offers its discerning customers an exclusive experience of designer wear. I aim to provide every customer with their customized pure lineage handcrafted Assam Silk Mekhela Chador or any other piece of redesigned silk traditional clothing or accessories that would tell their story.
Being from Assam, I always had a strong liking for Mekhela Chador since childhood. Growing up, this liking turned only stronger, eventually leading me to become a full-time fashion designer. Also, yet another reason for venturing into this career was that I felt an urge to revive the handicraft industry for the artisans who were opting for alternative income methods due to lack of opportunities and monetary benefits.
Since the very start of my career as a designer, my key objective was to bring Mekhela Chador to a national stage and make it really popular and participating in LIFW and many such national level shows has really helped to reach closer to my goal of making Mekhla Chador national attire.
- Tell us about the various styles of Assam weave to look out for.
The culture of Assam is imperfect without silk and silk weaving. The state is famous for its silk handloom and the weavers are expertise in various types of silk like endi, muga, pat etc. The most prominent and prestigious being muga which is a golden silk found exclusively in this state. Pat is a mulberry silk and is found in small quantities. Endi is yellowish in colour and is found in rough and smooth varieties which derives from the castor leaves on which the worms feeds which is woven into shawls and clothing for the winter garments.
- What’s the best way to make heritage look contemporary?
I believe that clothing is not just a piece of cloth but an integral part of the wearer’s identity. I love playing with colours and designs.. I have worked on the traditional Assamese Mekhela Chador incorporating fabric fusion and blends of Rajasthani, Kashmiri and other traditions. I have done varied experiments with mirror work and intricate designs of bandhani from Rajasthan, batik prints from West Bengal, and minute designs of ari from Kashmir. This innovative collection of handicrafts and weaves is not only a combination of traditional motifs but also a mixture of different fabrics and contrasting colours.
Most of my creations draw inspirations from the traditional designs of Assam that are very rich in their storytelling just like the folk music of our country. I have always attempted to present these traditional designs in a contemporary fashion as well as experimented by fusions of both traditional and contemporary motif’s.
- How do you view Fashion in 2021, in the backdrop of the pandemic?
This pandemic is one of the most unfortunate events in human history which has affected the entire globe. But we fought together and are on a road towards recovery. The whole of humanity has had the time to reflect upon our current conditions.
The last year was all about zoom meetings, casual clothing, almost zero festivals and occasions, hence this year the excitement is going to be more among the people. Although the anticipation for fashion trends this year is high, we as creators need to cater to this eagerness with products that add more value to not just style but lifestyle as well.
- What’s your latest collection like?
The Latest collection I am working on is an eclectic mix of traditional design in modern silhouette, pared down in the choicest of characteristic Assamese Silk, which is locally produced by getting cocoons of a particular lineage of worms found only in a single village in Assam.
