Sabyasachi tenders apology as artisans frowned upon recent H&M collection

Wonderlust, the recent collection of Sabyasachi for H&M boasting digital Sanganeri and Kalamkari print clothing is flying off the shelves fast but has left artisans miffed.

Launched on the handloom day,August 7 with the statement that the H&M collaboration was part of a different mission, a mission to put Indian design on the international map..Just as ‘Make in India’ needs to be encouraged, so should ‘Designed in India. The marketing strategy yielded splendid results but disturbed the organisations working closely with artisans.

Though the statement advocated the Indian textile traditions in a mass production medium in the hope that it would garner a demand for the authentic artisan product and also his collection of digitally-printed Sanganeri and Kalamkari lookalike collection but it raised concerns aboit authenticity and adverse impact on already distressed hand block printed garment sector.

However in response to the open letter from Dastkari Haat Samiti, a national association of crafts people seeking answers to some questions, he tenders an apology to  his fans post on the launch of his new collection in collaboration with global fashion giant H&M.

Its an undeniable fact that with his splendid creation over the years, the designer has built his own legacy in India and overseas when it comes to traditional clothing such as sarees, kurtas and lehengas.

But the problem with global clothing chains is that they are volatile and advent of new trends on a seasonal basis demand fast production which is hard inconsistent with handmade sector hence old stock is junked in fast fashion.

Now the question stands, “will customers really  for genuine hand blocked Indian prints once they’ve bought the H&M versions, or will they simply grab the latest trend which apparently lack the class and grace of handmade?”