In the lush, foliage-adorned oasis of Amethyst, a café-cum-boutique nestled in the heart of Chennai, a fashion symphony unfolded.
Fashion designer Sonam Dubal seamlessly juggled the roles of designer and style curator, assisting a client in selecting a contemporary blouse to complement her chosen saree. This moment set the stage for an exclusive tête-à-tête, offering a glimpse into the designer’s 33-year long journey from the tea estates of Assam, to the global fashion scene.
The inspiration behind his latest Golden Thread collection, which is a winter edit focussed on craft work and florals is a mix of traditionally produced textiles — wool, silk, and velvet. “It is all about mixing, because today the world is becoming hybrid and inclusive. People are mixing different styles together, and we are coming to terms with the coherence of diversity.” says Sonam who was awarded the Forces of Fashion award this year by Vogue for his contribution to the Indian fashion industry.
Sonam believes that fashion shouldn’t be restrictive, and it should push the boundaries set by trends. Speaking about his upbringing, he says that being a global citizen has meant he has always looked into elements that are not just unique, but also have an aesthetic ethos. “I have learnt that I can put things together in ways others cannot. I’m a mixologist — of stories and collections. This becomes a space for more people, and results in celebrating the idea of diversity.”
The Golden Thread collection is influenced by art around the world. “There’s African embroidery, floral influences, Silk Route bead work, eri silk from Assam and more. I combine cultural heritage, but within the space of Indian embroidery. It becomes an exercise in mapping stories, and that is intrinsically what I have been looking for — historical linkages.” he says. The collection has hand embroidered bolero jackets, wraps, coats, and hand painted capes. The textiles used are upcycled vintage silks in brocade and ikat mixed with velvet, silk, handloom cotton, eri silk, khadi and wool.
What sets this collection apart is his slant towards a more contemporary design element that appeals to a younger crowd. “My collections normally work for those 30 and above. Now, I’m trying to bring in younger people who understand the aesthetics and elegance of vintage textiles.” he adds.
Given his Buddhist heritage, he gravitated towards slow fashion long before it became a trend. “Since I have a slower pace of life and spend a lot of my time meditating and reading, it intuitively extends into my work. This appeals to a world of people who are realising the importance of being rooted.” He quips that the idea is to work in small workshops — a pop-up in Delhi, a showing in Chennai, selling in Vancouver, and collections in parts of Europe.
The rich history and heritage of India holds a lot of art in textiles. Artisans who have honed their skills for generations become a designer’s inspiration and driving force. He says, “we create employment, and with the right kind of employment, we sustain slow fashion. Our fashion is completely different from the rest of the world. There is no single entity who does the stitching and cutting here. Our fashion impacts whole communities.”
His latest collaboration with Royal Enfield was a capsule collection of menswear in eri silk. The Himalayan Knot collection was co-created with the weavers and craftsmen in Bongai gaon, Assam, at Northeastern NGO ANT (Action Northeast Trust) that works towards the development of villages in the states. “Fashion has the ability to influence people. The kind of women who wear my collections are strong-willed, those who have a voice, like Tabu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Isabella Rossellini, Vidya Balan, and it makes me happy that I empower them and that they are a part of my work” he says.
“My clothes are my passport to my life because they’ve opened me up to travel, but also to study and meet new people. Everything is linked to the other. You might think that you’ve created something great, but you’re actually linked to a 100 million people who were also creating something.” he says, recalling the iconic scene from the film Devil Wears Prada about the blue sweater Anne Hathaway wears. Meryl Streep in the scene quips, “that blue represents millions of dollars and countless jobs. And it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry…”
Sonam says, “I have only tried to be a bridge. My story, my whole collection has been an attempt to create a linkage between worlds.”
The golden thread collection is on display at The Amethyst, Whites road, Chennai until December 25; Shop starting ₹9,500
