CDS Art Foundation – A Platform for the Artisans by an Artisan
Walking Hand in Hand – A Collaborative Fashion Showcase of the Royal Textiles of India
New Delhi, March 01, 2020:
CDS Art Foundation’s ‘Artisan-First’ ideology, that recognizes them as the true custodians of their legacy textile craft, came alive with a spectacular private showcase on March 01, 2020 at Sunder Nursery. Titled ‘Walking Hand-in-Hand – Royal Textiles of India’ this Textile Craft meets Fashion event was curated to bring forth eight teams of artisans and designers, to showcase a set of their finest craft across India – from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu – to the culture & fashion enthusiasts of Delhi.
Having the firm belief that ‘without Art there is no Culture’, revival of handloom & handcrafted heritage has been a key focus for the Foundation since its inception. The ideology stems from an urgent need to provide an equal platform for all creators – designers & the artisans.
As an ode to the matchless textiles and garments crafted for the royal families of India, the event witnessed the revival of the nearly extinct craft collection of ‘Baroda Shalu’. This exquisite pure gold silk tissue textile has been revived & recreated through the collaboration of Her Highness Rajmata Shubhanginiraje Gaekwad, Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad, designer & master embroiderer Asif Shaikh from Ahmedabad, and master weaver Sayeed Ur Rahman from Benares.
Cross Border Collaborations, Beyond the Horizon
Model wearing IKAT of Uzbekistan
In an effort to pollinate cross border ties and go beyond the horizon, CDS has partnered with the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India and Uzbekistan Embassy to showcase traditional Uzbeck Ikat by artisan, Azizbek Murtazayev with Indian hand embroidery, by Asif Shaikh thus creating an exclusive new global craft.
The global alliances have further been strengthened by US-based designer – Shefali Khanna, who has partnered with weaver – Rajaram from Tamil Nadu, focusing on the abundance & grandeur of Kanjeevaram, and showcasing its versatility across the world.
Asif Shaikh, Co-founder of CDS
On this occasion, Asif Shaikh, founder, CDS Art Foundation commented, “The Foundation was established with an aim to take handcrafted legacy Indian textiles, rooted in pristine quality & highest level of integrity, along with their master artisans to the world stage. This would enable them to share space, with the best global fashion haute couture brands and textile art collectibles. At the heart of the Foundation’s endeavour, is the recognition & upliftment, of the established & the emerging master artisans at a celebrated status. With great excitement, we have now debuted this showcase in Delhi.”
The 5th edition of this show – wasn’t just about fashion, it was about creating a platform to enable the artisanal craft rooted in tradition, which can flourish through cross borders collaboration and innovation, in 21st century language.
CDS aspires to be the hub of India’s finest textiles, collaborating with artisans and creators across the world.
Designer line-up for the event
The stellar line-up at the fifth edition of ‘Walking Hand-in-Hand’ was inclusive of local and global designers, whose ideologies resonate with that of CDS Art Foundation.
Rani Darshana Kumari, Gitanjali Shah & Priyanjali Katoch; Meenal Kumari Singh Deo; Jyoti Reddy; and Asaf Ali & Vidhi Singhania have worked closely for the revival of textile craft and handloom; a set of their unique pieces were showcased while walking hand-in-hand to celebrate their combined legacy and heritage.
Shri Paramani Jewels by Anshu and Vinay Gupta support CDS Art Foundation’s ideology as its jewellery partner. A fifth generation jeweller, Vinay Gupta’s family has been in the business since 1789 and believe jewellery is not just a mere accessory but a piece of art. Known for the best jadau and polki pieces in the city, Shri Paramani Jewels has two exquisite stores in Delhi. The grand finale of the show also witnessed the revival and recreations of iconic jewellery pieces.
| CRAFT | ARTISAN | DESIGNER |
|---|---|---|
| Baroda Shalu & Kinkhwab Uttar Pradesh | Saeed ur Rehman | H H Rajmata Shubhanginiraje Gaekwad, H H Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad & Asif Shaikh |
| Uzbekistan Ikat with Hand Embroidery | Azizbek Murtazayev (Uzbekistan) | Asif Shaikh |
| Kanjeevaram – Tamilnadu | K. Rajaram & R. Shankar | Shefali Khanna (USA) |
| Asawali Brocade – Gujarat | Paresh Patel | Rani Darshana Kumari, Gitanjali Shah & Priyanjali Katoch |
| Pattachitra – Odisha | Rashmiranjan Mahapatra & Debabrata Behera | Meenal Kumari Singh Deo |
| Uppada – Andhra Pradesh | Asapu Visweswara Rao | Jyoti Reddy |
| Jamewar – Kashmir | Maqbool Sheikh | Asaf Ali |
| Kota Doria – Rajasthan | Mustakim Kachara | Vidhi Singhania |
The event also witnessed an enchanting performance by Bharatanatyam soloist – Revanta Sarabhai.
Guests who attended the event were: Royal Families of Baroda, Mandawa, Orissa, Ravi Capoor, Laila Tyabji (Dastkar), Diplomats and other dignitaries from the Ministries of Culture, Tourism and Textiles. Attendees also included the capital’s crème de la crème and custodians of Art and Culture
For further information,
Email ID – cdsartfoundation@gmail.com
