Sustainability in fashion and lifestyle has been on the surface for a while now. Many brands, designers, houses, and influencers are taking up steps to create awareness about the topic. We are made to believe that living a life that minimizes the impact on our planet is something that needs conscious effort, but the truth is that we just need to take a step back and reconnect to our roots.
Indian culture has always been sustainable, whether it’s about fashion, food, energy, or lifestyle in general.
We will talk about Indian fashion for now and understand how it has always been sustainable and how we can take it back to what it used to be.
Let’s start with one of the most fascinating topics that we all have encountered at least once, i.e., Heirlooms.
Heirloom textiles
Heirloom textiles are not just a piece of beautiful attire but carry many many stories, values, and memories with them. It has been a part of Indian culture, where a piece of clothing is passed on for generations. We have seen our grannies giving their sarees to our mothers and how perfectly intact is the condition of the clothing.
These clothes are kept like treasures and there are two main factors that help an heirloom become an heirloom.
Quality
History has it, that Indian textiles have always been considered one of the most beautiful and premium textiles. Defined by its beauty and intricacy of manufacturing, Indian handloom has been an integral part of our civilization.
The quality of the fabric is unbeatable that just goes on and on and on.
Here the geography works in our favor as it provides the right soil, temperature, and moisture for growing high-quality raw material. In fact, India is home to a variety of high-quality silk and cotton, accounting for the second-largest silk and cotton producer in the world.
The second and most important thing that makes Indian textile premium is the precisely designed process of manufacturing followed by the weavers. From the yarn extraction to the weaving to dyeing and finishing, each step is carefully planned and carried out to give the best that lasts for generations to come.
Care
The next thing that we need to learn from our previous generation is the way they took care of their clothes. They did not have clothing at their disposal as we do, so they mastered the art of taking care of the clothes.
The special clothes were always kept separately with all the necessary steps required to keep the quality of the fabric intact. Be it a moth or fungus attack, the fabrics were kept safe using natural ingredients like dried neem leaves, dried spices, cedarwood, etc.
Also, periodic rearranging and decluttering practiced by our elders was not for passing time but to freshen up the piled-up clothes. Taking out the fabric in the open air, and folding them back properly might seem like a tedious and unnecessary job but that actually helps in maintaining the life of the clothes. The process clears the moisture buildup in the textile which protects them from moth or fungal attacks and foul odor.
It also helps you in keeping the track of your wardrobe and restrain you from over-buying.
Let’s jump to how I got fascinated by the idea of heirloom textiles.
The answer is COVID. Yes!
The talks about heirlooms became common after covid. How?
One fashion trend observed during covid was among the brides. With the huge bridal market all shut due to lockdown, many a bride opted for their mother’s or grandmother’s saree for their wedding dress.
And thus, heirlooms became the talk of the town.
One such bride was Megha Khanna who broke the social media when she opted for her mother’s beautiful saree as her wedding outfit. She looked breathtaking on her big day adorning the heirloom beauty and setting the bar high for a bridal outfit with a story as personal as hers.
Not a covid bride but a bride who opted for an heirloom piece for her big day was Kareena Kapoor. The style sensation that she is, going back to the roots and choosing a generations-old outfit when she had all the big designer outfits at her disposal was a commendable thing to do.
She wore a rust orange kurta and sharara which her mother-in-law wore for her big day. The most interesting fact here is that the outfit was two generations old and originally belong to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's mother, Sajida Sultan.
My heirloom look
These people did set an example for me so I took the opportunity to take my mother’s over 3-decade old saree and style it up my way.
The 36 years old saree was still in great condition which gives a peek into the perfection and precision with which it would have been constructed. The teal blue silk Banarasi with paisley motifs and Zari border give it the perfect timeless and vintage look. This gave me the opportunity to experiment and style it my way without looking over-the-top and flashy.
I styled it up with a long sleeve magenta blouse which was an upcycled piece itself. It was made out of a georgette dupatta which was not being used anymore. The pink color set the right contrast with the teal saree setting the right tone for the outfit.
To complete the look, I went for a simple piece of jewelry and it was a layered vintage necklace with a statement pendant in a muted tone. It complimented the outfit perfectly and brought it all together.
Wearing such a beautiful heirloom was an exhilarating experience. It felt like carrying too many untold stories with me and if would love to wear it again whenever I get a chance.
What is your heirloom story?
Amazing content!!