Anavila’s Été is a celebration of multi-cultural influences
MWB Desk
A summer collection with white as the anchor and rose as the primary motif, Été joyously celebrates the cross-pollination of cultures, a fusion of Tamil and French life.
Culture is fluid, forever moving and evolving through the borrowing and exchange of ideas, design, and aesthetics. The intermingling of ideologies and practices is how newness seeps in. Été by Anavila is an attempt to mindfully capture the mélange of creative fusion around us.
We look at the South of India, especially Pondicherry that lives with the scent of roses mixed with the aroma of French coffee. The colonial structures with open windows draped in soft flowy tapestries and a woman or two enveloped in thoughts and conversations around the verandas with their crochet needles capture our imagination. The city’s lifestyle embodies a delightful mixture of French and Tamil influences. Be it the love of flowers and laces, age-old recipes in boulangeries, unique Franco-Tamil architecture, or the walk on the promenade – all reflect onto a beautiful yet gentle blend of cultures.
“Right from the unique architecture to the way the people live, and even little things like windows with lace curtains, old recipes in boulangeries, the scent of roses mixed with coffee – all reflect a blend of cultures” – Anavila Misra
The rose motif, fleur d’amour, translating to the flower of love, serves as the focal point of this collection. Hand-painted and then meticulously carved into wooden blocks, the rose is featured in bouquets, trellises, all over lattices, and in individual placements. Hand block printing mixed with applique and embroidery makes this collection uniquely detailed. White is paired with the colors from the gardens of the Indo-French Riviera, smoke blue and blush, soft yellow and green to recreate the feeling of a rosarium.
Linen, khadi silk, and khadi serve as the foundational fabrics for this collection, offering a canvas for hand-block printed saris and flowing kaftans, perfect for effortless summer elegance. Meanwhile, its appliqué saris and jackets embody the epitome of summer luxury.
The team at the studio has been working on Été since last March. The collection has 92 pieces, including saris, pin-tucked blouses and tops, kurtis, co-ord sets, shirt dresses, trousers, and jackets in linen, khadi silk, and khadi. Each garment took time, given the intricate nature of the work. The piece de résistance is the khadi silk sari in ivory that took a team of applique artisans and hand embroiderers 190 days to complete.
Été is available at www.anavila.com
