TRIBAL FASHION

Tribal Fashion can be best comprehended by gaining a deeper understanding of your own tribe and culture. India can be taken as an everlasting example for this as India is socially, culturally and linguistically very diverse. The Culture and Heritage of India is boldly and beautifully inspired by art, music and other creative forms. Different parts of India follows different clothing and traditions.

Tribal Fashion includes exotic, exciting and unusual prints, most of which are inspired by Indian tribes. The intricate and eye-catchy prints and patterns is what makes Tribal Fashion the talk of the town. They are fine-detailed and beautifully handcrafted using various threads and pins followed by embellishments.

It’s not just about clothing, accessories used in Tribal Fashion gives fascinating touch to the look. India always choose vibrancy over subtlety. Creativity manifolds and brings out the best work here. Tribal Jewelry is enriched with class of beads, mirrors, grains and what not. Orissa is well-known for handicraft development and makes beguiling wall-hangings, handbags and a lot more.

India’s Indigenous Prints

1. A J R A K H

Ajrakh is an ancient block-printing method on textiles that originated in the presentday provinces of Sindh in Pakistan and the neighbouring Indian districts of Kutch in Gujarat and Barmer in Rajasthan. At present, the Khatri community is engrossed in consistently producing Ajrakh printed fabric of supreme quality in Ajrakhpur village in Kutch and also Barmer.

Ajrakh printing gives a very eco-friendly touch to every fabric as its major colors are derived from nature itself. This is evident in the aesthetics of the unification of its colours as well as motifs. Common colours used while making these patterns include blue, red, black, yellow and green. However, the colour palette is not restricted to just these colours only. Ajrakh printing uses natural dyes that include both vegetable dyes and mineral dyes, with Indigo being the key dye.

The traditional colours found in ajrakh printing are deep, which symbolise nature. Crimson red symbolizes the earth, and indigo blue symbolises twilight. Black and white are used with a view to outline motifs and define symmetrical designs.

2. P A I S L E Y

From its ancient Persian and Indian origins with its hidden messages and mysterious symbolism, the iconic motif has had quite a journey. The paisley pattern has travelled the silk routes from East to West, adorned the bandanas of cowboys and bikers, been adopted by the 19th Century boho set, been popularised by The Beatles, ushered in the hippy era and become an emblem of rock ‘n’ roll swagger and swank. And the Scottish city of Paisley, whose textiles history is intertwined with the famous print, is now bidding to be UK City of Culture for 2021.

Paisley is a fine timeless print which settled its routes in Bohemian and wild Lookbooks. Gaining wide popularity in Indian fusion and tribes, Paisley prints can also be seen in executive and contemporary couture.

3. B A G H

Bagh is yet another form of thappa chappai or block printing with natural colours crafted with vegetable dyes. It has evolved from a rudimentary tribal art to an invaluable part of the heritage and cultural identity of Madhya Pradesh. Bagh is actually a small tribe in Dhar, MP.

The traditional designs are inspired by nature, the ancient Bagh Cave paintings, and the jali (lattice) work of the Taj Mahal. Each block has name: chameli (jasmine), maithir (mushroom), leheriya (waves), keri (mango), and jurvaria (small dots).

4. S A N G A N E R I

The Sanganeri printing technique developed between the 16th and 17th century. The constant wars between the Mughals and Marathas caused several craftsmen to migrate from Gujarat to Rajasthan. This craft ultimately found its haven in Sanganer, where it has been thriving ever since.

Blocks are carved by taking inspiration from Royal patronage and rich heritage most of which are flora and curved lines combined to make a beautiful artwork.

I really enjoyed writing this blog as it made me realise how Indian Heritage is boundless when it comes to art. Above mentioned prints are all derived from block printing, most of them came into existence or are sustained by talented and creative people living in Rural Parts of India. Albeit, these are one of the popular known prints, there are several other classic and historical prints like Bagru, Ikat, Kalamkari etc. which can be seen stamped on our regular shawls, bedsheets, kurtis and what not.

I hope you liked this article and gained some knowledge from it. Please subscribe to my blog to get notified everytime I post a new article.

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