Fashion Police! How an Indian label is preserving and showcasing the rich textile heritage of Odisha

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2 days ago

In an interview with Firstpost's Lachmi Deb Roy, a few days ahead of World Environment Day, designer Richa Maheshwari who believes in restoring, preserving and showcasing the rich textile heritage of Odisha spoke about conscious consumption and ways to reduce fashion pollution. read more
Richa Maheshwari's collection Boito is a conscious luxury clothing from Odisha. Through a personal journey of discovery, Boito was born out of a desire to preserve these stories and honour this history. Her design philosophy is rooted in the belief that handloom and traditional textiles are the ultimate sustainable choice.
We have seen filmmaker Guneet Monga wearing her collection at the Toronto International Film Festival and even filmmaker Rima Das wore her collection at Cannes. She would love to style Meryl Streep in the Niyam Raja overcoat and Bomkai Gold Dress. The Kotpad Jacket with the Boatneck Khandua Jumpsuit would be her choice for Susan Sarandon.
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Odisha's indigenous textiles are leisurely woven using age-old techniques - unchanged for generations. The colours and patterns tell the tales communities have inherited, weaving a unique timelessness into their cloth. The name Boito is derived from the maritime festival 'Boita Bandana' (Worship of the Boats), which commemorates the voyage of the Sadhabas - an ancient community of affluent mariner merchants, who would sail to distant lands for trade and cultural exchange.
Restoring, preserving and showcasing the rich textile heritage of Odisha
You have been doing a lot of work with weaves … tell us a little about that…When did you start working with Odisha weaves ? What fascinated you?
My journey with Boito started in June 2022. I took a sabbatical to explore Odisha, travelling across every vein and artery of my home state. The people I met often lived in remote rural areas - near mountains, forests or the sea. What struck me was how deeply connected they are to their surroundings - which reflects in all aspects of their lives, including textiles. It was this rootedness that fascinated me, I guess in part because I myself was searching for my roots. The stories that are woven or embroidered onto traditional fabrics have existed for eons - solely because populations tend to stay put in the same village or town for generations. You will not find a Sambalpuri cluster on the east coast for example, or a Khandua cluster on the west coast. The narratives are spiritually and culturally richer for this reason - and distinct from each other. This raw unadulterated storytelling was what inspired me to work with Odisha's textiles.
What are the different types of weaves of Odisha that you use?
So far, our garments have been designed using eight different traditional textiles, namely: Bomkai, Habaspuri, Kapdaganda, Khandua, Kotpad, Pipli, Ringa and Sambalpuri. We are actively collaborating with other clusters to employ them for future collections.
India is the land of textiles… your take and how you are promoting it
Textile clusters across the country are like living museums - keeping age-old traditions and tales alive. Essentially, Boito exists to connect these traditions to a wider audience outside the state or the country - who appreciate the artistry and cultural value of Odisha's textiles. We feel that fashion naturally provides the ideal vehicle for this promotion. India's handloom industry is second only to agriculture in terms of numbers employed. We want to tap into this resource and give it a platform in the luxury retail space so as not to promote overconsumption. On the ground, we are working to instill financial stability so the next generation of weavers may carry forward their craft with pride.
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Zeenat Aman styled in our chequered gold trench / Photo credit: Instagram
What is your take on revival of weaves?
Textile revival is central to Boito's brand philosophy. Working with Habaspuri weavers, for example, was an exciting milestone for our label, as only some half a dozen of the textile's looms remain today. A decade ago, there were over 100. It is important, however, to be sensitive in our endeavour. There's a reason why some textile traditions have faded out in the first place. Our approach is to understand and tackle these challenges holistically, so that the revival may be sustained. We're not looking at scale - as the nature of handloom does not realistically allow for that. We cannot break weavers' backs to meet some kind of market demand or supply chain. We want to promote these textiles as art - so that they are cherished. The core of what we do is connecting the work of artisan communities with a global community of art collectors as it were - who would appreciate their skill, artistry, culture and history.
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How local are we getting when it comes to fashion?
I would say in fact that the textiles we use are hyper local. The motifs and techniques are very specific to the clusters we work with. There is absolutely no outside influence. For instance, the flora and fauna depicted in different weaves depend on whether the clusters are landlocked or near the coast. The colours and patterns embroidered on a kapdaganda shawl reflect the unique relationship between the Dongria Kondha community and the Niyamgiri hills. The dyes used in Kotpad handloom are extracted exclusively from the locally grown Indian madder (aal) tree. Of Odisha's 26 current GI tags, 11 are for textiles alone - meaning that they are unique to that specific district or town. Also - while our designs may be for a global market, our production is based entirely in Odisha. To truly honour the crafts of the state, we must give back to it.
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What do you have to say about the business of fashion?
I think consumers are far more conscientious than ever before, thanks in large part to easy access to information. They are more aware about making sustainable choices, ethical sourcing and the perils of fast fashion. Today, people actually care about how their clothes were made and where. As a result, there is also more interest in heritage and storytelling - which is great for brands like Boito. While fast fashion and greenwashing are still major challenges faced by the industry, there has been a slow and steady shift underway from a use-and-throw culture to one where authenticity, quality and longevity are aspirational.
Your take on conscious consumption …
Our design philosophy is rooted in our belief that handloom and traditional textiles are the ultimate sustainable choice. We have said repeatedly that they are the literal antithesis of fast fashion. Our garments are heirloom pieces, designed to be loved and passed down. Processes are slow, deliberate and transparent. Orders have a wait period of several weeks. So, our clients are very aware of the investment they are making with us. We take that trust very seriously, and work hard to value and reciprocate it.
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Fashion vs Style… your preference and how is it different?
What is in fashion is generally dictated by what designers showcase as part of their collections, which then trickles down into popular culture and into high-street showrooms. Style on the other hand is a lot more individualistic, and allows for a creative flair in how we wear, mix and match our garments. Fashion changes, style roots! Boito consciously leans into the latter for this reason. We look at adding meaning, not momentum. Our garments are designed to be worn creatively, and I love seeing how different people wear the same garment in their own unique way.
Your favourite style icon from Bollywood? And how would you like to dress him/her up?
For me, the ultimate Indian style icon was Maharani Gayatri Devi. There are a series of photographs of her with Jackie Kennedy (another favourite). I would have loved to see those iconic chiffon sarees and sunglasses paired with a Boito scarf.
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From Bollywood, I'm drawn to yesteryear actresses such as Smita Patil, Waheeda Rehman and Sharmila Tagore - who would all look fabulous in any one of our jackets or overcoats. Last year, we had the absolute thrill of having the Zeenat Aman styled in our chequered gold trench coat for a photoshoot.
Your favourite style icon from Hollywood and how would you like to dress him/her up?
Meryl Streep and Susan Sarandon are absolute legends, and they look good in anything they wear. I would perhaps style Meryl in the Niyam Raja Overcoat and Bomkai Gold Dress. The Kotpad Jacket with the Boatneck Khandua Jumpsuit would be my choice for Sarandon. I also love Amal Clooney, and it is my dream to dress her and her husband for the red carpet one day.