Juilee Bendkhale could dream of no other profession, but one in fashion. This 36-year-old designer, from Maharashtra, recalls that she was always fascinated with arts and had a leaning towards anything that had creativity in it. She studied apparel designing and started her label, Zuilee derived from her name. She added the “Z” as “that is how my name was pronounced originally.”
Fascinated with all kinds of fabric, Juilee found herself leaning towards hand-woven fabrics and khadi. She started to collaborate with artisans to revitalise traditional crafts through a “contemporary narrative”. She adds that she works with local farmers, spinners, dyers and weavers within Maharashtra. “We had hand-spun and hand-woven tradition before the British Raj and the industrial revolution, which took over and transformed the way we made textiles,” explains the designer.
She started “reviving some of the techniques and the fabric from the past working with the weavers. We gave it a contemporary cut, which will appeal to the women of this day.”
She has also worked with Paithani, a weaving technique from Maharashtra, Ikkat and also used subtle embroidery in her clothes. “I have used a lot of tie-and-dye too in my designs.”
Juilee adds that this is her first solo exhibition in Bengaluru, though in the past she has collaborated with leading designers here. She is excited “as people here are stylish, sophisticated and they also know their fabric and the importance of our glorious past in textiles and weaving.” Her clothes, she says, will appeal to anyone aged between 20 and 50 years of age. “In fact, my designs are more appreciated by older women,” she adds. “The collection offers you soft silks and breathable khadis, made from natural, rain-fed and pesticide free indigenous organic cotton, thus making the collection have a minimal carbon footprint. It is rooted in the Swadeshi movement,” says the young designer.
The exhibition and sale will be on at Raintree, Opposite ITC Windsor from July 22 to 23. There will be tunics, long dresses and tops in khadi and raw silks with a modern twist.
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