NIRVANA – CURATOR – JDADA2019

“Always try to give your outfit a little bit of a twist.”

—- BRAD GORESKI —-

Designers Suhani S and Kajal S.P.’s experimental collection, “Nirvana” means place of happiness and peace. It has been inspired by Mandala art and paper cut work.

Mandala means circle, and is a spiritual cum ritual symbol of Hinduism and Buddhism. It is a reminder of one’s direct relation to infinity or the universe. Common mandalas are wheel, lotus and bell. They have concentrated on lotus mandala which is considered a symbol of purity, enlightenment and faith. Apart from its spiritual affiliation, mandalas also offer therapeutic benefits. On the other hand, the technique of paper cutting involves the creation of unique paper patterns. The designs are cut from a single sheet of paper. Paper can be layered and shaped to show depth and shadow.

Mandala art was infused in the collection with the use of the flower motif inspired by the lotus mandala. Precision was provided to the motifs with the use of laser cutting technique, which was used to replicate the paper cutting art work. The designers have adopted the policy of zero wastage, wherein the scraps from laser cutting the fabrics have been used to create accessories for the collection like sling bags, belts and neckpieces. The motifs are 3D as the designers wanted to show the depth of the mandala. Fabrics used for the collection are suede, thick cotton and kraft textile. Colours of the collection are blue which represents calmness and harmony alongwith white which is symbol of peace.