KARMA – CURATOR – JDADA2019

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

—- ALBERT EINSTEIN —-

Designers Maheen Khan and Sanjana Harihar’s collection “Karma” was inspired by the endless knot symbol of karma acquired by the knitting technique on the garments of the collection.

Karma means ‘action’, ‘work’, ‘act’ or ‘deed’. It refers to the cause and effect principle, wherein past actions derive if the effects would be beneficial or harmful. Karma symbolizes endless knots interlinking of cause and effect of the karmic cycle that continues eternally. The composition of this cycle represents a balanced harmony. Hence, the designers knitted the yarns with their bare hands that symbolized karmic features and the free ends of the yarns were attached that looked like there was ‘no start or end’.

The garments were hand knitted using chunky woolen yarn with polyester blend with a
12 – 20mm thickness and weigh 250gm per skein. The range symbolizes the features of karma such as infinite knots, eternal, intertwined line, loops and what goes around comes around. Since, the woolen yarns were not stitched they are multi-purpose in nature. The knots can be removed and knitted into a sweater, a blanket or a scarf. Moreover, the yarns are in its primary stage which can be further converted into thinner yarns. The garments were hand knitted by the designers and represent infinity, which does not have a start or an end and does not include seams. Unlike weaving, the knitting technique used for the collection did not require looms or any large equipment except the use of hands.