Indian designer Vino Supraja named Global Sustainable Fashion Trailblazer at the British Parliament

Vino Supraja with the award
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“For any person who’s from the small city of Vandavasi; who did her education in a Authorities college; and had loads of insecurities about talking English; to go to the British Parliament and speak about our tradition, was a surreal, joyful second,” says designer Vino Supraja. She was not too long ago honoured with the title of International Sustainable Trend Trailblazer award on the Home of Commons, British Parliament. 

The 45-year-old designer, now primarily based in Dubai, has had an extended, fragmented sojourn on the earth of style. She says that it’s not one single second that led her right here. As a substitute it’s merely a collection of issues that saved taking pictures at her. “I’m nonetheless observing the place it’ll take me,” she says. 

A bit from Vino’s Therukoothu assortment
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particular association

For a very long time, Vino dabbled in media research. “I did my structure diploma in Chennai after which I learnt animation, and I joined an digital media course in Anna College.” After a short stint in radio, Vino shifted base to China. In China, whereas scouring web sites for potential research or job alternatives, she chanced upon solely two websites in English. The remainder have been all in Chinese language. “One was a enterprise college and the opposite, a style college. I one way or the other related numbers with enterprise so I opted for the opposite choice! That’s my official entry into the world of style,” she recollects, laughing. Vino’s commencement assortment went on to obtain two worldwide awards, and made its look within the 2014 Shanghai Trend Week. 

Then life moved to Detroit — the place her assortment was walked in New York Trend Week, after which Brooklyn Trend Week the place she featured a line that got here out of the Chennai floods of 2018. It was solely 5 years in. After shifting to Dubai, the place she is predicated now, she realised “the darkish aspect of the style trade”, as she calls it. “It was a second of realisation. I needed my model to undertake a sustainable path. That’s once we began working with the Chennimalai weavers. That slowly led me to London Trend Week.” 

The traditional Tamil people artwork type of Therukoothu has at all times impressed Vino, particularly as she hails from Purisai, one of many most important, still-thriving centres of the folks kind. “When London Trend Week got here up, I made a decision that that is the time I ought to platform Therukoothu,” says Vino. “I went to Purisai and there I met somebody who I’ve admired from my childhood days — Purisai Kannappa Thambiran Ayya. They have been very joyful to collaborate. I learnt costume a personality and do their make-up. We got here to Chennai to report the audio, and showcased a one-minute presentation on the London Trend Week earlier than the fashions walked the ramp. The western world was shocked to see so many colors on one particular person,” recollects Vino. All these collections can be found on the web site. 

Her subsequent go to was to Bhavani in Erode district to know the crafting of the famed jamakkalam material. “I might see that the craft was diminishing and plenty of weaving looms have been left unattended. Small companies have been struggling. This made me marvel what I can do with my model.” 

Stripes, strong colors, very minimal — the jammakalam’s aesthetic was decidedly world. “The stripes of the Bhavani jamakkalam are at par with the Gucci stripes! This 12 months we launched the J assortment, with luggage.”   

A bit from the J assortment
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particular association

With the brand new, somewhat heavy moniker of International Sustainable Trend Trailblazer, the duties enhance. Whereas sustainability has been a buzz phrase within the style trade for the final 5 years, it’s now being overtaken by AI, says Vino. “Now, the dialogue is round incorporating AI in style and the chatter about sustainability is taking a backseat. Finally, shifting to sustainability needs to be taken as a duty by the large manufacturers first.”

Vino is now engaged on reimagining the Bhavani jamakkalam to make merchandise aside from luggage. “I wish to give prompts to the world, which anybody can undertake and improve their creativity with.” With materials and strategies that deserve world consideration, Vino crusades to carry the world to South India, one jamakkalam at a time. 

Vino Supraja