anupallavi-saikia-blog

[anupallavi-saikia-blog]

The problem of fast fashion is deep rooted. Many big faces of the fashion industry promotes fast fashion that lures us and we end up buying these clothes.

Picture courtesy: Pinterest

This is Gigi Hadid wearing a Tommy Hilfiger outfit which is a fast fashion brand.

The midway between slow fashion and fast fashion.

The midway between slow fashion and fast fashion is a new concept where the sustainable fabrics and techniques are combined with the trendy and catchy styles of fast fashion.

Some notable brands are already taking steps in this new direction. These brands are :

1. EcoVibe

2. IKURU

3. Mata Traders

The future of clothing can be saved only if we completely switch to slow fashion , or wisely use the midway between slow fashion & fast fashion !

Picture courtesy: Pinterest & Sloris Design blog

Content idea: Wikipedia & Sloris Design blog

[anupallavi-saikia-blog]

Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion & a mid-way …

“Fashion” generally means clothing, including the study of it. Although the range of fashion encompasses clothing, footwear, accessories to makeup, hairstyle and body.

This blog will mainly focus on the recent and most talked about divisions in the fashion world i.e. Slow Fashion and Fast Fashion.

Slow Fashion vs Fast Fashion

Slow Fashion

Slow Fashion is not the typical seasonal fashion trend. It is a movement that is steadily gaining momentum. Today’s fashion industry focusses on globalised mass production where garments are transformed from the design stage to the retail floor in only a few weeks.

‘Buy Less Choose Well’ - the main moto of the Slow Fashion movement. It puts emphasis on buying limited yet tasteful clothes that lasts for a longer period of time.

Benefits of Slow Fashion :

1. Diversity : Slow Fashion producers maintains ecological, social and cultural diversity in all their garments. Slow Fashion keeps the traditional making & dyeing techniques alive that gives vibrancy and meaning to what we wear.

The above pic is an example of sashiko(Japanese quilting ) inspired mending and boro , which is a traditional Japanese technique. The technique is applied on denim fabric and the outcome is a Slow Fashion Denim outfit.

2. Sustainability : Slow Fashion refers to the quality and design of the fabric used in making the garment. It involves buying clothing made of durable fabrics and staying away from fluctuating trends so we can still wear the pieces we love years down the road.

3. Profitability : Slow Fashion producers need to sustain profits and increase their visibility in the market to be competitive. Prices are often higher because they incorporate sustainable resources and fair wages.

The Ethical Closet

Below is a picture that will make our closet more ethical.

Picture courtesy : Pinterest ( Slow Fashion )

Below are the names of certain Slow Fashion brands . These brands use sustainable fabrics that lasts long

1. Stormie Dreams

2. Siempre Viva

3. EcoVibe

4. IKURU

5. Mata Traders

Fast Fashion

Picture courtesy: Pinterest ( Fast Fashion )

The picture is of a Ripped Denim Jeans which falls under the category of Fast Fashion.

Fast Fashion is a term used by retailers and designers to describe a widely implemented phenomenon and business model. It imitates styles & trends seen on the runways at fashion weeks and recreate them at much lower price and quality which is easily accessible in the mass market.

Advantages of Fast Fashion

1. Management : The primary objective of fast fashion is to quickly produce in a cist-efficient manner to respond to fast changing consumer tastes.

2. Marketing : Marketing is the key driver of Fast Fashion.

But the disadvantages of Fast Fashion overshadow the advantages.

1. Sustainability: Due to the unavoidable need to match the fast changing consumer tastes, selection of fabrics are very poor. People have to stitch the fabric at jet speeds under lot of pressure , as a result of which the garment wears off within 3 washes.

2. Overconsumption : Overconsumption is creating a havoc in the fast fashion market. People now want more than they actually require which puts the retailers under a lot of pressure. Consumers want different styles that are catchy so as to have a wide range of variety in the closet.

Names of some Brands dealing with fast fashion

1. H&M

2. Forever 21

3. Zara

4. United Colors of Benetton

In the tug of war between Slow Fashion & Fast Fashion, the former will be a winner in the future.

Fashion industry causes the most pollution just after oil and crude. And fast fashion is responsible for 80% of the pollution. This is because of the poor selection of fabrics and the chemical dyes used in the rigorous production of fast fashion clothes.

“Who made my clothes? ”- a question that we should ask ourselves everytime we are tempted to buy a Fast Fashion garment. It’s a shame that the Fast Fashion brands use workers from underdeveloped countries like Bangladesh to stitch their cclothings. These workers are made to work under inhuman conditions and the money they receive is almost nothing. We are mainly tempted to buy fast fashion clothes mainly due to the brand name, catchy styles and the variation of price range involved. But is it really worth it ?

The Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh , where 1,134 garment workers were killed on April 24th, 2013 and thousands more maimed when the multi storey factory complex they were working in collapsed.

To prevent any such incidents from happening in the future , we should switch to slow fashion.

The Green Fashion Week

Green Fashion Week mainly represents sustainable fashion. It involves a group of designers that use a production process that helps to reduce the environmental impact

Some notable designers involved in Green Fashion Week are :

- Suzanne Lee

- Silvia Giovanardi

- Elsien Gringhuis

- A.M. Victoria

- Nelly Rose

What does Slow Fashion promote?

What is fast fashion all about !

[anupallavi-saikia-blog]

The Pat Silk - A symbol of royalty 

Pat Silk or Mulberry silk of assam is one of the varieties of domestic silk found in Assam , India.It is produced by Bombyx texror silkworms which feed on mulberry (Morus spp.) leaves . It is a creamy or bright coloured silver silk. The Pat Silk is used in the making of the most beautiful and expensive traditional attire for the women in Assam i.e. the ‘ Pator Mekhela Chador [ Sador ] ‘. The  Pat Mekela Chador is mainly dry cleaned or washed in luke warm water.It should dry in shade after wash.

The traditional importance of Pat Silk is that it is used in weaving of the  bride’s Mekhela Chador desiged especially for the wedding day. 

Picture courtesy : D’Source gallery

The above pic is a snap from the traditional Assamese Wedding. The bride here is wearing an off-white Pator Mekhela Chador with the intricate works of hand woven  Guna-Suta ( the golden thread ) over the Pat Silk. Every assamese bride puts on this attire with utmost pride on her wedding day. 

There are different patterns or designs that are woven on the silk cloth . Depending on the pattern the Pat Silk Mekhela Chador is worn in different occassions by women of different age groups.

These patterns are shown below :- 

1. Kaziranga Style 

Picture courtesy: D’Source gallery

One of the most commonly used motifs is the kaziranga style which according to the local craftsman and experts derives it’s importance from the wildlife of Kaziranga . As part of the motif a deer and rhino are woven onto the Pat silk garment. Pat silk Meheka Chador with Kaziranga style can be worn by women of all age groups and it is cost effective.

2. King Khap style 

This style is inspired from the Ahom dynasty and signifies the royalty and magnificence of the erstwhile kingdom. the King Khap style is mainly used to design the bridal outfit , where the style is woven with Guna Suta ( the golden thread ) onto the off-white or creamy colored Pat Silk. King Khap with the golden thread on Pat Silk is the most expensive style and is worn mainly by assamese brides . 

3. Joon biri style 

Picture courtesy : D’Source gallery

This pattern is basically woven on the silk garment which is inspired from the assamese neck piece called the Joon Biri. The shape of the Joon Biri is like a crescent moon and is usually engraved with a lot of patterns on Pat silk. Joon Biri style Pat Silk is not too expensive and mainly worn by young girls during traditional functions.

4. Mourah 

The symbol of Mourah or the peacock is very commomly used on the Pat silk garment. It is very cheap and worn by old aged village women during casual visits to nearby households. 

5. Gach 

The motif of a tree is one of the most common patterns found in Pat silk mekhela chador. This shape is often represented in a geometrical manner and the shape varies according to the expertise of the weaver. It is mainly worn by middle aged women and it is not very expensive. 

6. Phool Buta 

Most patterns and motifs used in the traditional garments are representation of the nature. Hence, a bunch of flowers or Phool Buta are the excerpts taken from nature. It is a bit costly and mainly worn by middle aged married women in traditional functions ( esp. weddings ). 

7. Bhagavad Sarai 

This design mainly signifies the traditional assamese sarai or brass plate or tray woven on Pat silk . The sacred Bhagawad Gita is placed on the sorai at the prayer house or Namghor. This is a very prestigious style and worn by assamese women during rituals at the Namghor esp. during the time of ‘Raas’. Bhagavd Sarai Pat mekhela chador’s are costly.

There are certain other styles namely : Japi , Kolka , Pokhila , etc. which are engraved in Pat silk whose  cost range depends on the weavers thread selection and intricate works. 

From feeding the silkworms to taking out the precious Pat Silk for the mekhela chador is done by village women of Sualkuchi, a cencus town in Kamrup district in the Indian state of Assam.Situated on the North Bnk of Brahmaputra , about 35 kms from Guwahati. Sualkuchi has a large number of cottage industry engaged in handloom for which it is also known as the “ Manchester of Assam “.

The selling of Pat silk mekhela chador contibutes a major portion in Assam’s economy esp. the one with Guna Suta for the bridal outfit. The expense depends upon the amount of Pat silk and The Golden Thread used in the making of the Mekhela Chador. 

The Pat mekela chador worn by the bride here costs nearly 40,000 rupees . The cost is due to the intricate works of  hand woven Guna Suta onto the off-white Pat silk that required the workforce of approx. 50. 

Among Muga , Tassar and Eri , Pat silk is gaining more popularity because of it’s patterns and the off-white combination of the silk with Golden thread.

Recently, Sharmila Tagore , a noted Indian film actress , wore a Pat Silk Mekhela Chador at her daughter’s wedding : 

Picture courtesy : D’Source gallery

The Pat Silk mekela chador is gifted alongwith Japi and Sarai as a gesture of high honour and respect by assamese people to deserving women who have done notable  works for the betterment of Assam . 

Content idea : D’Source Gallery , Wikipedia & Books on Assamese culture and textiles.