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INDIA FASHION WEEK, A TIME OF CELEBRATION

March 18, 2016

INDIA FASHION WEEK, A TIME OF CELEBRATION

India Fashion Week, from the 16th of March through the 20th, is happening in New Delhi.  And it is, indeed, a time of celebration.  Here is the world’s chance to view the wealth and beauty of Indian textiles, a tradition that goes back…how long?  Might as well say “forever”, because India’s love for her own rich heritage has never wavered, though it has changed course, adapted, modified, and enlarged, many times.  And so we admire and appreciate the contemporary Indian designers who draw from this wealth of artisanal beauty, the rich and detailed prints with their regional diversity, the intricate embroidery, the range and textures of handwoven cottons, silks, wools.

  

It is a different spirit from fashion displays in the West, where the emphasis is on trends, the “NOW” and the “WHAT NEXT?”, moving at an unsustainable speed, flipping silhouettes from season to season.  Where everything is CHANGE.

 

India changes too, of course, but the current of tradition is too loved to be abandoned, and so it is retained, enriched, enlivened, revealing itself in new forms without ever losing its connection to its source.

 

And this affects, deeply, how an Indian woman feels about her clothes, about the happy feeling (yes, happy) and the sense of connectedness that comes from wearing a garment that expresses so much about her heritage, history, and place.  Because Indians deeply love India.  And today, the most modern, up-to-date, educated, and highly placed woman, in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, or anywhere, will feel that serious occasions, and times of celebration, require a sari, and nothing else will do.  And that sari,  incorporating print, embroidery, or a traditional woven, presents a living history that everyone can enjoy and admire.

 

And, of course, the West can also enjoy and admire.  The influence of Indian fashion turns up repeatedly in European, American, and Australian designs.  This isn’t new!  Chanel, for one, has mined India repeatedly over the years.  And now we’re seeing the introduction of classic Indian silhouettes (tunics, loose trousers and scarves for example) as women in the West discover, yet again, their beauty, comfort, and wearability. 

 

So while Indian Fashion Week is time to admire and fall in love again with Indian textile traditions, it is also another opportunity for that “East/West” dialogue that Mehera Shaw is part of, and that runs through all our work and efforts.

 

So we join with India in this celebration, and we are enjoying it tremendously.

--from the desk of Mark Keller




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Fit/Sizing/Care

FIT

Our styles are meant to give room to breath and move.  We use fine tailoring coupled with a relaxed, comfortable fit.

We use a fit guide for each of our styles to provide more information about the fit that was intended.

Slim Fit: a close fit to the body. Regular Fit: a comfortable, relaxed fit with room around the body. Generous Fit: a very loose fit (such as in our oversized blouses) with lots of room around the body for ease of movement.

SIZING

h4XS/ 36

h4S/ 38

h4M/40

h4L/ 42

h4XL/44

h4chest

h435.5 inches/ 90 cm

h437.5 inches/95 cm

h439.5 inches/ 100 cm

h441.5 inches/ 105 cm

h444.5 inches. 113 cm

h44cm extra from body

h4waist

h426 inches/ 66 cm

h428 inches/ 71 cm

h430 inches/ 76 cm

h432 inches/ 81 cm

h435 inches/ 89 cm

h4fitted

h4low waist

h428 inches/71 cm

h430 inches/76 cm

h432 inches/ 81 cm

h434 inches/ 86 cm

h437 inches/ 94 cm

h4fitted

h4hip

h437 inches/ 94 cm

h439 inches/ 99 cm

h441 inches/ 104 cm

h443 inches/ 109 cm

h446 inches/ 1

h44cm extra from body

WASHCARE

All garments have been washed several times during the printing/dyeing and manufacturing process.  

CARE for 100% cotton

We recommend cold water machine wash (up to 30 degrees celsius) with a bio detergent and either tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade for all of our 100% cotton garments/homewares (except for quilts).  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.  

Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Cold water wash and low heat drying or line drying in the shade will increase the life of the garment, prolong the vibrancy of the colors and reduce energy use. Shrinkage on all cottons is minimal, approximately 3%.

Garments/homewares are dyed or printed using AZO free, low-impact, pigment or reactive dyes unless otherwise noted.  These dyes are color-fast, but care should still be taken to wash with like colors to retain the vibrancy of the colors.

CARE for 100% cotton quilts

For quilts with cotton fill, we recommend spot or light surface cleaning only with a damp cloth and mild detergent.  Eco-friendly dry cleaning is also recommended. 

CARE for herbal/vegetable dye items

Vegetable dyes are not colorfast and are specifically marked in the product description.  We strongly recommend that all vegetable dye products be washed once before use in a cold water wash with minimal detergent.  Wash separately. Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  Iron on reverse side.  Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Please keep in mind that indigo dye does continually fade over time.  This is the nature of true indigo dye and is not a defect, but rather a sign of the 'living' nature of the dye.

CARE for silk and cotton/silk

For our silk and cotton silk garments/homewares, we also recommend gentle cycle machine wash cold water (up to 30 degrees celsius) or delicate hand washing to increase the life of the garment and reduce the environmental footprint from energy use, detergents and water wastage.  

Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.

Do not use bleach or stain remover.

Dry cleaning using an eco-friendly service is also recommended.

CARE for linen and cotton/linen

For our linen and cotton linen garments/homewares, we also recommend gentle cycle machine wash cold water (up to 30 degrees celsius) or delicate hand washing to increase the life of the garment and reduce the environmental footprint from energy use, detergents and water wastage.  

Tumble dry on low heat or line dry in shade.  

Iron on reverse side of garment following fabric settings.

Do not use bleach or stain remover.