News

 Summer is here and has a Spring in her step! What was that we just said?

Spring wears many different definitions and is suited to an experimental wardrobe and changing trends. As a noun, Spring wears “the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to appear” and also “an elastic device, typically a helical metal coil, that can be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when released”. As a verb, she dresses to the tune of “moving or jumping suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards” and also the act of “originating or arising from”. She is a season of growth, bloom and moving forwards but is also as much about origins. She is about new beginnings but also of beginnings. Which had us wonder, "does change have to mean growing ‘up’?” Perhaps change is best understood when we go back to the quiet of our childhood selves, nonchalantly dangling our feet and sipping on a cold drink.

Our Spring edition this year is a place for honouring our childhood selves and harnessing childhood swag. It is a simple testament to that quiet and abundantly happy spot called childhood. So, would you join us as we hop on a time machine to the 80s and 90s in India, a time of palpable social and economic change? Through the eyes of our little selves we toy with foreign imported cartoon serials, children’s novels and DVDs brought home by uncles and aunts, government owned soft drinks that has us waiting for Sundays, western fables that held us up at night, dreaming of other places as if they were familiar, and the thrill of sharing birthday toffees.

We do all this with our favoured fabric and a much loved Indian staple- cotton dressed in many hats and guises. Our signature flowing drapes, pin tucked garments and cowl dresses in tie and dye and shibori simultaneously signify the rapidly changing nature of those times and yet reminisce memories of the past. Surface textures, pastel hues and graphic prints conjure up a sense of the new in the opening up of the economy with new products proliferating the market in pastel-hued packaging, television endorsements and cable TV bringing fables from faraway lands and the prospects of schooling.

                                    

 Remember when mother’s tie and dye dupatta was all you needed to hold onto while navigating city streets? Mother's Shibori Dress brings back the comfort of feeling at home in chaos. Let’s admit to slipping into Papa's kurta as our first experience of traditional attire and what great fun it was!  If you need a little motivation on an early Monday morning, reach out for an Exercise Book or Essay, for a renewed sense of purpose (remember when growing up meant being allowed your first Ink pen?)

 

                                

Relive the thrill of Tom and Jerry, Tintin and Snowy and The Jungle Book and reconnect with the everyday pleasures and jaunty hopefulness embodied in Cream Biscuits, Mango Byte and a sip of Goldspot.

 

                                 

 

Mondays pose a familiar challenge: the art of getting out of bed. The staggered progression of a Monday morning in our lives includes feet dragging to the bathroom with a rag doll in tow and a promise to self to relish a five-second snooze while brushing our teeth. Finally feeling illuminated, our descend to reality includes bolting across the floor at a speed Usain Bolt could envy. Deciding what to wear to work on such days is a Chekhovian task and a classic white shirt or a beloved favourite usually come to the rescue. While casual dressing leaves room for interpretation and personal perspective, flexibility in workwear standards is a continuously evolving and tenacious process.

The rise of workwear clothing became prominent with the Industrial Revolution in the western hemisphere (1760-1840) and the emergence of a formal labour force. Sartorial choices that suited both farming and artisan work were replaced by the need for clothing more suited to heavy labour and presence around machines for men. Levi’s, for instance, became popular amongst gold miners for the durability of their patented metal rivet pockets. Over time the manufacturing economy saw a shift to service and tertiary industry including knowledge and IT hubs which influenced developments in clothing choices in new ways. In specific, the button up shirt, suit and khaki style trousers replaced denim and dungarees.

Workwear didn’t just evolve with changing nature of jobs but also with its resulting cultures. Kayleigh Ziolo, a writer at The Attic London, describes this evolution. The 1920s-40s witnessed conservative suit styles in neutral tones as preferred choice in an era familiar with war and scarcity. This was followed by economic expansion and the build up towards rebellion in the 1940s-1960s with design labels emerging and asserting importance. The 1960s-80s representing this materialism saw a relapse in conformity with the expansion of media, communication and globalisation. Contemporary choices for workwear made by those born in the 1980s-2000s tend to be more rebellious and expressive, defying the norm as conformity takes second seat to personal development. 

This general evolution belies the nuances of female workwear trends that changed and adopted cultural narratives on women’s choice. Professor Frances Corner examines the impact that choice had on evolving workwear in women’s fashion. The 1960s-80s with the second wave women’s movement saw rising hemlines at the workplace while the 1980s-2000s saw the emergence of the power suit and shoulder pads as women adopted ‘masculine’ features to merge into male bastions. An important point she addresses is that choice can be both oppressive and liberating. The sheer choice of self-determination can be overwhelming when the onus is on the individual to decide what is appropriate as Emma McClendon, assistant curator at the Museum FIT describes, “When we talk about work-wear, we’re really talking about looking appropriate at a given cultural moment," adding that "..appropriateness is hard to pin down; it’s constantly changing in response to what’s going on in the world."

Choices are liberating for they follow from self-determination and self-awareness. In the Indian context, a history of western workwear clothing does little for a public awareness of indigenous work clothing and only illuminates the effects of globalisation on Indian choice. With this in mind, we decided to compile a preliminary photo narrative of Indian work wear through the ages. While essentially featuring draped garments, the diversity in terms of hemlines, silhouettes and styling is refreshing. The cotton drape was a chosen favourite for work across decades for its suitability to Indian climate. The purpose of this narrative is only to bring an Indian history of work clothing, particularly the diversity of drape, to awareness and choice. We also explore how this Indian aesthetic reflects on the Khara Kapas style.

(On top) Punjab, 1840s-1870s. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. Seen in this illustration is the angarkha style top worn over a salwar style trouser with a cloak. While it is uncertain if the figure in question is ‘at work’ she certainly appears outdoors. The angarkha continues to be worn with a skirt in western India. (On bottom) The Sharpener Shavings angarkha style top with the Tiffin Box pants / Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017.

 

(On top) A fan and basket seller in Patna in the early 1800s featuring a midi hemline drape. Image source: columbia.edu (In middle) This higher hemline recurs in the 1920s with foreign travel on missionary pursuits and worn especially with Mary Johns. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (At bottom) The Grown Ups gather and flare midi dress/ Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017.

  

(On top) An illustrated piece published in “Costumes of Western India”, London News, 1876. Image source: columbia.edu. Illustrated here are differing drape styles featuring an assortment of silhouettes including an asymmetrical style (see bottom right) seen in western India. Also mentioned is the associated profession of the wearer.(On bottom) The Mango Byte asymmetrical dress/ Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017. Also see, Jungle Book and Midnight Snack.

 

(On top) The early 1900s, shorter hemlines at work, featuring classic milkwoman style. Image source: columbia.edu. (On bottom) The Graph Dress / Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017.  Also see, Chalkboard. 

(On top) Women at a Home Science Class, 1957 featuring a nine-yard drape with gathers on the side. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (On bottom) The Essay asymmetrical dress with gathers on side / Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017. Also see, Cotton Candy and Stole Mama's Lipstick.

(On top) The Khada dupatta style featuring a two-sided drape and trousers beneath. It is uncertain if this style was worn to work. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (On bottom) The Cream Biscuit Jhabla featuring two-sided pintucks/ Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017. Also see, Wishing on a Cloud. 

And finally, for a splash of androgyny, kurta style worn by an ayah circa 1920, image source: columbia.edu

 

(On bottom) Papa's Kurta Dress and Papa's Culottes / Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017.

For a more in-depth look into the history of Indian clothing, we recommend Vintage Indian Clothing. 

 

References:

1. Dave’s New York, pub. April 2013, last accessed March, 2017 http://davesnewyork.com/blog/american-manufacturing-the-workwear-to-go-with-it/
2. Ziolo Kayleigh,“A Potted History of Workwear”, Chartered Management Institute, pub. Sept, 2011, last accessed March, 2017, http://www.managers.org.uk/insights/news/2011/september/a-potted-history-of-workwear
3. Corner Frances, “The History of Women’s Workwear”, Harpers Bazaar UK, pub. Aug, 2015, last accessed March, 2017, http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/people-parties/bazaar-at-work/news/a35201/the-history-of-womens-workwear/
4. Ives Alison, “What the history of workwear says about women”, MSN Lifestyle, pub. Sept, 2016, last accessed March, 2017, https://www.msn.com/en-za/lifestyle/lifestylefashionbeauty/what-the-history-of-workwear-says-about-women/ar-AAjJjVc
5. Vintage Indian Clothing, https://vintageindianclothing.com
6. South Asia Study resources, Columbia University, http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00fwp/#fwp

 

When we first thought of writing about our customers, we prepared a questionnaire that we’d ask in-person or via mail and do a small photo shoot with them to get a closer look into their life and understand them deeply.

However, we realised that we were already a part of their life as much as they were a part of ours, of the brand. We’d interacted closely with them at different points in time, knew their tastes, their urgencies, and tried to deliver a happy shopping experience to them to the best of our capabilities.

Wanting to wrap the year on a good note and celebrating 2 years of the brand, we knew we wanted to fabricate our success with the dreams and ambitions of our customers, our muses, with a series of blog posts celebrating different facets of women and finding inspiration in each of them.

What was difficult was to choose the first person we wanted to cover. We have such a rich clientele of inspiring women, who have these interesting stories to tell. We knew we couldn’t stop at one; it had to be a recurring series. 

The first woman who we interviewed was Atamjot Grewal, an ENT surgeon by qualification, currently taking care of patient experience at Fortis hospital.  

A small town girl, belonging to various places within India owing to her armed forces background, Atam moved to Delhi for her graduation in medicine, which she hardly ever practiced.

Complicated yet simple, bubbling with emotions, positive vibe and cheer, you instantly like her!   
She’s the quintessential woman, somebody who wears her emotions on her sleeves, compassion in her eyes, warmth in her heart, and strength on her back.
 
Her mother seemed to have deeply impacted her life and choices. A single parent, Atam’s mom singlehandedly built everything for herself and Atam, she remains to be Atam’s strength and inspiration. While Atam’s father is her conscience. She confessed to have had deep conversations with her dad’s portrait during trying times. She has shared her grief, aspirations, and happiness, everything with her dad’s portrait. Her actions always aim to make her father, up there, happy and proud.

A single child and having spent a lot of time alone, Atam loves a full house now. Her family comprises of her husband, mother, mother-in-law, kids and dogs. Her family remains to be her strength and driving force.

Professionally, Atam is known for being passionate about her work. Since she is involved with the administrative side of healthcare, specifically focusing on patient experience, Atam is known for her emphatic treatment of patients and their families and ensuring proper care. She’s known to be someone who’s reliable and dependable, and that according to her is her biggest achievement.

It’s through many twists and turns in her career that Atam found her calling. While medicine was her natural choice of subject, due to unavailability of other options at that time, she doesn’t consider herself ambitious.

After completing her medicinal studies, she went on to write articles for a web portal, got into a mainstream corporate job, tackled many roles including marketing, sales, operations etc., hit mid-life crisis when she almost wanted to quit her job and then finally landed into hospitals and found her true calling.

As a part of Fortis, Atam has been personally involved with on-ground relief work during natural disasters and calamities and that has contributed to her self-transformation and has made her a grounded person, someone who is thankful for everything she has and knows how to savour each moment of her precious life.

We asked her a few questions and got some really interesting answers.

What are your views on religion/faith?
AG: I won't call myself religious but rather spiritual. And for me spirituality doesn't just mean connecting with god, but in fact connecting with people. In moments of engaging interactions and deep bonds, spirituality is at work. 

Describe a weekday and weekend in your life.
AG: My weekdays usually start early at around 5.30 with some physical activity, which could be cycling, cross-fit, or walking, followed by some quality time over breakfast with my children.
My day in the hospital starts with morning meetings to plan the day and never really ends.
But it is very important for me to spend some quality time with each of the key members of the family and to also have some ‘me’ time before I sleep, that makes my day complete.
A weekend/holiday is all about running chores, lounging together, spending quality time with Sanjit (husband), and unwinding with friends, family and a lot of alcohol.

Define ‘freedom’ and ‘confidence’.
AG: The definition of freedom is ever changing and evolving.
It has ranged from going out to play, to staying up till late, to being able to choose – choose what I want to do, and to be able to say no to things.
As far as confidence goes, I don’t think I’m quite confident. I’m carefree, I like to live in the moment, and that sort of gives me an air of confidence. Although, if there’s one thing that contributes to confidence - that is experience.

What’s your happiest memory?
AG: I think I’m lucky that at least 4 come to my mind the moment I hear this question.
My happiest memory from childhood is sleeping on my grandfather’s shoulder while listening to my nighttime story. That memory replays in my head and is always as magical as it was back then. It gives me a feeling of homecoming.
Another beautiful memory is the birth of my daughter, the first time I held her, knowing that she is an extension of me.
I also fondly remember many of my trips with Sanjit. For me, Sanjit is synonymous with the hills. He is my escape and my refuge. All the expeditions, trips, treks into the mountains with Sanjit have been nothing less of magic for me. I can be myself and inhale a deep and happy sigh of breath with him by my side.
The coming of my dogs is also a memory I fondly look back to.
Lastly, each Monday morning goes into my happy memory lane. Sanjit gets me white lilies since as long as I can remember that I carry along with me to work.

What’s your favourite place to live?
AG: My favourite place has to be a quaint town or village, it has to be up in the hills, and has to be beautifully peaceful.
The only place I can think of right now is Thanedar in Himachal. You can stare into nothingness and there are apple orchards as far as your sight goes.

Tell us your idea of a perfect date.
AG: My idea of perfect date has nothing to do with the setting but the company and the conversation.
Although Sanjit and I are big foodies and we love the Smoke House Grill and that has been the setting of our date many a times.

What’s your relationship with fashion?
AG: Frankly, I’ve been called a tomboy and I don’t really consider myself as ‘fashionable’ in the literal sense as to keep track of what’s trending.
For me, comfort predetermines fashion. I prefer earthy tones, flowy fabrics, and indo-western silhouettes. 

What struck you about Kharakapas? What got you back to the brand? What’s your most prized possession from Kharakapas?
AG: I get my Kharakapas update through the Facebook page and I’ve never seen a garment and not felt the need to buy it.  
I feel so connected with the ethos of the brand as well as its sensibilities. So many people tell me that the brand has been shaped keeping me in mind and that’s a huge compliment for me. I love the simple and minimalistic designs. Kharakapas is the right balance of style and comfort for me.
My favorite outfit is the ivory cotton gown. It can be dressed up with accessories or worn casually on a holiday. I also love 2 of the kurta and pant sets that Shilpi has lovingly customized for me.

Towards the end of the interview, Sanjit came in to invite us for lunch and grabbed his wife so that we'd finish off the interview and join them for lunch. The right mix of playfulness, banter, and love, Sanjit & Atamjot's lives are picture perfect.

We thank Atam for being so candid with us and giving a peep into her super-woman life story!

A Kharakapas salute to the woman who is caring yet carefree!

 

On Atam:

Ivory & Gold Sharara Set, Rs. 12,000/-

Indigo Swing Dress, Rs. 4800/-

Ivory Cotton Gown, Rs. 5000/-