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LIFESTYLE: DESIGNER KHADI
Khadi Revamped
A Scindia scion is set to transform the fabric into
a trendy new showstopper
By S. Kalidas
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NATURAL DESIGNS: Vasundhara Raje's
new initiatives could make the traditional material a fashionable
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From being the somewhat
hypocritical and mandatory uniform of the Indian politician, Gandhiji's
beloved khadi is set to be reincarnated into a trendy avatar. Top Indian
fashion designers like Rohit Bal and Malini Ramani have designed a line
of chic khadi wear and others, like Tarun Tahiliani and Rajesh Pratap
Singh are soon to follow. Supporting the trend towards the natural are
herbal, cosmetic and food products-from face packs and shampoos to honey
and health foods-produced by the village industries sector, which are
being repackaged by the young design consultants Vivek Sawhney Associates
in minimalistic bottles and boxes to make them attractive to the young
and the upwardly mobile. And a new brand, khadi, is born.
The newly refurbished khadi shop at Delhi's Loknayak
Bhavan inaugurated a new line of clothing made of pure, village-produced
khadi on May 31. The range, according to Vivek Sawhney, is "clean,
affordable and modern-things that you and I would love to use".
The trouble with khadi down the decades has
been that "you and I" no longer patronise it. Brands like Fabindia
for clothes and furnishings and Biotique for herbal cosmetics have spread
their wings so far that the old, musty khadi shop around the corner with
its weary, disinterested attendants is no longer on urban shopper's itinerary.
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| RURAL
CAN BE TRENDY: Bags, cosmetics, honey and handmade paper |
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Originally created as a potent symbol of the
struggle against British imperialism, the handspun, handwoven cloth was
cheap and comfortable to wear. It was also the bread and butter of millions
of rural poor in India's hinterland. Over the years, however, the Khadi
and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has become the victim of rampant
inertia where nothing moves except government-provided subsidy. With rumours
of some Rs 750 crore worth of inventory lying in dingy godowns around
the country, khadi product lines are certainly not making waves.
Last week, Vasundara Raje, the Union minister
for small scale and rural agro industries, unveiled an innovative fiscal
support for the khadi and village industries sector in order to "make
it viable and vibrant in the era of globalisation". Armed with a
report by management firm Andersen, the Scindia scion identified a number
of problem areas in the KVIC. These included the absence of long-term
policy, poor design and quality control and abysmal marketing initiatives
and infrastructure.
The minister is serious about establishing khadi
as a global brand. And this, she says, "is not just my dream, it's
the aspiration of every village industry worker". She points out,
"We were here long before The Body Shop and its likes." However,
to be able to realise its goal, the sector's whole outlook towards its
management systems and marketing infrastructure will need to be revamped.
"Khadi has lost out in the market because it was not professional
in either economic or social terms," explains Raje, adding, "We
seem to forget that if the economic base is neglected, the social cause
is bound to suffer."
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