In pictures: Odisha’s Ikat designs light up the ramp at Lakmé Fashion Week 2018

Bhubaneswar/Mumbai: Lakmé Fashion Week 2018 Winter/Festive edition kick-started yesterday and designs from Odisha made their presence felt on the second day of this five-day-long coveted fashion extravaganza in Mumbai.

Indigenous Ikat designs of Odisha were displayed on the ramp in a segment called #ArtisansofDigitalAge where New Delhi-based design label Indigene collaborated with local weavers from Barpali and Nuapatna to showcase archival designs from Odisha, presented by Digital Empowerment Foundation.

This collection boasted of silk and silk cotton textiles in shades of blue, green and red with products such as kurtas, peasant tops, waistcoats, jackets and stoles.

It takes, 40 hours approximately for an Ikat saree to be made and the weaver earns Rs.6000-9000 per month. Therefore, to supplement sustainable livelihood and preserve authentic and traditional design elements, Digital Empowerment Foundation, under its Digikargha initiative is aiding clusters of local weavers and artisans across the country with digital and technological assistance to improve their weaving, design, marketing and entrepreneurial skills, as a part of sustainable livelihood.

Weavers from Barpali and Nuapatna in Odisha have been taking advantage of digitalisation tools made available to them and creating designs with the help of technology and promoting them on a larger scale. Thus, small-time weavers also find a chance to showcase their products to the global audience and become players in the fashion market.

Bidyabati Meher, a young weaver from Barpali who was trained under this initiative, represented Odisha and walked the ramp today at Lakmé Fashion Week in an Ikat jacket, designed and stitched by her.