Manish Kumar
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 22: Bappaditya Biswas, alumnus of National Institute of Fashion Technology and designer based in West Bengal, who has around 1,200 weavers on board from his home state for his mission to diversify the market prospects of handloom products, is now eying Orissa to revive the stagnant sector.
Biswas along with his designer wife Rumi is meeting traditional weavers from Nuapatna and Baripada to convince them to adopt new ways of value addition to the prevailing form of fabric production that happens to be their niche.
The designer founded Bailou brands of handloom products in 2002 in Kolkata which has now become a trademark in West Bengal for its blend of modernity and traditional dress materials, especially handloom saris. His client list includes noted Tollywood actors including Aparna Sen and Moon Moon Sen. Besides, Bailou saris are also the favourite of Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Kirron Kher.
Biswas firmly believes that if weavers adopt a new dimension, it would help create a parallel market where handloom products could be diversified and made more appealing to the younger generation.
“There is huge potential for handloom products. We can create a parallel market for handloom. I have been working since 2002 for bringing something new for the up and coming generation that is a perfect blend of modernity and also tradition,” said Biswas.
The designer who was on a visit to the state Tuesday added, “Normally people treat handloom saris as traditional and earmark them for wearing on traditional occasions. However, my aim is to make such saris popular on all occasions as well as among office-goers, party animals and the hoi polloi generally. To achieve this objective we need to add some extra elements and manipulate a little bit.”
When asked what is stopping weavers of Orissa from adapting to changing demands he said, “Weavers need to change their vision with changing demands. Many weavers here are reluctant to change the way they function. They still prefer making plain fabrics, whereas the demand is for texture and colour.”
Through Bailou Biswas has been producing saris, dupattas, home furnishing products and other materials. Biswas says his home furnishing products are exported to European and Asian countries.
When asked whether the Indian sari would cross barriers and become a pet of the fashionable elite in the west he said, “This is what we are working for. Although foreigners don’t like to wear saris due to the cultural chasm that exists they do like our dupattas and other handloom products. However, many Indians living in foreign countries are vouching for handloom saris as they love to flaunt them at public venues mainly due to their ethnic appeal.”
Biswas, with the help of city-based entrepreneur Gargi Bhattacharya, has opened a Bailou outlet at Surya Nagar. Gargi works as a link between weavers from the state and Biswas. She has been accompanying her hubby on his visits to the weavers’ villages in the state.
When asked whether he would like to open a chain of handloom products across India, the designer said, “I would prefer to confine my stores to areas close to weaving areas for the benefit of weavers. I want to work in tandem with them.”