Handwoven fabrics from India's Translate put focus on the age-old art of Ikat

India's Translate focuses on reviving the age-old craft of handwoven Ikat for its apparel and home textile label.

"We aim to transform the trandition handcraft to comfortable, timeless clothing and lifestyle, "

says Translate.

It was exciting to find exhibiting at Pure London in February 2020, the Indian company Translate which showcased its array of Ikat craft techniques are transformed into contemporary fashion.

Co-founders, husband and wife Vickas and Vinita Passary explained that they want to create awareness for India's rich heritage in handcrafted textiles. "We celebrate the craft of Ikat by sustaining the exquisite beauty it inherits through our modern re-interpretation of heritage," she said.  "Our premise that 'hands are the value addition', the materials are passed through several hands to create works that are unique.
Translate was established along with textile artist Mr Chandrasekhar.
The company's aim is to give new lease of life to the Ikat craft techniques by empowering and providing consistent employment to the sixth generation artisanal communities.

Skilled artisans, weavers, designers and many more talented hands are involved in the design studio set up at Translate for creating a wide array of Ikat designs.

Ikat is one of the oldest known patterned textiles in the world, with a history that spans across multiple cultures and is known to have existed in India since the 6th Century.

Photos courtesy of TRANSLATE.

Ikat is a resist dyeing technique used to pattern textiles and the word ‘ikat’ comes from the Malay-Indonesian word for ‘tie’. Traditionally, Ikat were symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige because of the time and intricate skill involved in the weaving process.

With its continuous and sustained effort to work with the Ikat weavers, Translate is able to ensure the craft is kept alive and authentic.

With Dame Zandra Rhodes as keynote speaker and a series of catwalk shows, PURE London off to a good start.

Luxury occasion wear by award winning British designer Matthew O'Brien, one of the 

new fashion brands on show at PURE.

PURE London opened today (Sunday 9 February 2020) at Kensington Olympia with a busy schedule of catwalk shows and a packed programme of seminars and talks, showcasing a exhibitor profile of established, contemporary fashion and emerging brands, covering womenswear, premium, menswear, kidswear, athleisure, footwear and accessories, as well as sustainable fashion, over three days until 11 February.

"Hibernate" is one of the key AW20/21 fashion trends, presented on catwalk at PURE London.

Comforting separates, cocooning shapes, in an array of natural shades.

Neon brights and strong colours among key trends for AW 2020.

Mixed patterns in bold colours mark the Nomad trend.

According to Fashion Portfolio Director Martin Arnold, for this AW2020/21 edition, the show is bringing together the fashion community under a theme of Nomad, "celebrating boundless creativity amidst turbulent political and economic times."

Also held during the same dates is the sourcing show PURE Origin, back for its fifth season, bring the fashion supply chain under one roof.

A highlight on Day One was having the iconic British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes as keynote speaker, celebrating her 50 Years of Fabulous, in conversation with Lauretta Roberts, Editor of The Industry Fashion (as shown in picture above) on the newly created Nomad stage in the National Hall of Olympia London.  Zandra is sporting one of her signature lipstick prints that has gained wide recognition.

Supported with a slide presentation, Zandra offers candid insights for longevity in the industry and highlights crucial moments of her career that include numerous coverage in top magazines and show events.

Over the past 50 years, Zandra has dressed figureheads of the fashion industry, British royalty including Princess Ann and Lady Diana, and Hollywood stars in her signature prints and iconic vibrant patterns and silhouettes in superior-quality fabrics that she is well-known for.

Zandra marked her 50 years in fashion last September with a retrospective exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum that she founded, located in Bermondsey, London, and a book "50 Years of Fabulous" published by Yale and a collection for SS2020 entitled "The Jubilee Collection".
Zandra shows no signs of slowing down, announcing a new collaboration with Ikea and working on her AW20 collection to be shown during London Fashion Week.

Photos by Lucia Carpio at PURE London.