From Priyanka Chopra to Dia Mirza, many celebrities have embraced her designs, however designer Sanjukta Dutta’s “pleasure” lies elsewhere: “Seeing Assamese ladies from small cities put on my creations with pleasure — that’s the place my coronary heart is.”
Finest recognized for her silk creations, Dutta has devoted herself to reviving Assam’s handloom business and bringing it to international consideration. Her mekhela chadors have graced worldwide runways and travelled the world, mixing custom with modern sensibilities.
In an unique dialog with indianexpress.com, she speaks about her newest showcase at Lakmé Vogue Week, her design journey, and her touching tributes to late musicians Zubeen Garg and Bhupen Hazarika. Learn edited excerpts beneath:
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Q. Whether or not showcasing in Paris or New Delhi, your designs at all times have a deep reference to your house state. Take us by means of your design course of.
Sanjukta Dutta: My design course of at all times begins with emotion — and that emotion is Assam. I draw inspiration from our panorama’s colors, our songs, and the rhythm of our looms. Every bit begins as handwoven fabric from my weavers. I collaborate with them to reinterpret basic Assamese motifs in a method that’s fashionable but rooted. The concept is to let the material communicate, preserving weaving traditions whereas updating drape, silhouette, and particulars for a world viewers.
Q. We might additionally love so that you can share your journey — out of your first stint to your newest assortment, Gadhuli.
Sanjukta Dutta: My journey started with a easy need: to revive Assam’s handloom business and provides it international recognition. Initially, individuals exterior Assam hardly knew in regards to the mekhela chador. Over time, I’ve taken it to distinguished worldwide style weeks. Every assortment marks a brand new chapter, however Gadhuli is particular — it represents transition, the confluence of day and evening, custom and modernity. It’s deeply private and displays how far the Assamese mekhela chador has come.
Q. At Lakmé Vogue Week, you paid heartwarming tributes to late singers Zubeen Garg and Bhupen Hazarika. Inform us in regards to the saree that includes the Mayabini singer.
Sanjukta Dutta: Zubeen Garg was greater than a musician; he was the heartbeat of Assam and shall at all times be. The mekhela chador devoted to him carries his portrait and excerpts from his lyrics woven into the material. It’s my method of immortalising his recollections in textile kind. We additionally marked Bhupen Hazarika’s centenary with a dwell violin efficiency by Sunita Bhuyan. Music and weaving are each languages of the soul, and Gadhuli turned the house the place they met.
Fashions showcasing Sanjukta Dutta’s newest assortment at Lakme Vogue Week. (PR handout)
Q. Why did you determine Neelam Kothari Soni to be your showstopper this time? But in addition, why do you’re feeling the necessity to have a celeb face closing your exhibits?
Sanjukta Dutta: Neelam embodies grace, dignity, and timeless magnificence; these qualities align completely with Gadhuli. I’ve at all times admired her understated class. When she wore my creation, she introduced the gathering’s spirit to life. As for celeb showstoppers, I don’t see them as a necessity however slightly as a option to amplify the craft. A recognized face will increase visibility for the artisans behind the work. My objective is at all times to make the world look in the direction of Assam and its weavers.
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Q. Not many individuals know in regards to the mekhela chador. Inform us about it, and the right option to put on it (particularly the pleats).
Sanjukta Dutta: The mekhela chador is a two-piece conventional Assamese apparel. The mekhela is the decrease drape, pleated and tucked on the entrance, whereas the chador is draped over the shoulder like a saree pallu. What makes it distinctive is its construction — regal but comfy. The pleats are hand-set, giving a sleek circulation. Carrying it’s nearly like performing an artwork — exact but poetic.
Q. Over time, nevertheless, have you ever discovered extra individuals embracing the garment past your state/tradition?
Sanjukta Dutta: Sure, fantastically. Girls throughout India and internationally put on the mekhela chador. Brides select it for weddings, and designers experiment with fusion kinds. That’s my objective: for Assamese textiles to journey past geography.
Q. What in regards to the youthful era? How a lot are they actually conscious of the normal outfit, exterior of the state?
Sanjukta Dutta: Earlier, conventional put on was seen as pageant apparel. Now, younger individuals recognize its artistry and pleasure. I see ladies pairing mekhela chadors with jackets, belts, or crop tops — a gorgeous evolution. Vogue ought to develop with each era whereas preserving its essence.
Q. You principally work with silks. The place do you supply your uncooked supplies from?
Sanjukta Dutta: All my silks are made alone looms in Assam. I work primarily with Pat silk, Eri, and Muga, every prized for texture and pure sheen. From reeling to weaving, my staff of expert artisans upholds conventional strategies. Each weave carries the purity, heat, and spirit of human craftsmanship.
Q. Bollywood typically exhibits totally different cultures/ethnicities and their outfits. However not many actors put on the mekhela or the gamosa. Your views on the identical.
Sanjukta Dutta: True, and I wish to change that. India’s wardrobe is huge, but illustration is restricted. The mekhela chador and gamosa are symbols of Assamese identification and deserve mainstream celebration. Some celebrities have embraced them, however there’s extra work to do. I hope it turns into as iconic because the saree sometime.
Q. Who precisely is your audience, and are any Bollywood celebrities part of your clientele?
Sanjukta Dutta: My viewers values authenticity and craftsmanship, ladies who wish to put on tales, not simply clothes. I’ve been lucky to have Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza, Manushi Chhillar, and Neelam Kothari Soni put on my work. However my true pleasure is seeing Assamese ladies from small cities put on my creations with pleasure.
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Q. What’s your final purpose as a designer?
Sanjukta Dutta: To maintain Assam’s looms alive. I would like weavers, particularly ladies, to realize dignity, stability, and international recognition. If my designs carry the sound of their shuttles to the world stage, that’s success. Vogue, to me, is preservation, not simply creation.
Q. In a world obsessive about designers like Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra, or Tarun Tahiliani — how does Sanjukta Dutta guarantee staying related?
Sanjukta Dutta: By staying true to myself. I don’t compete; my journey is my very own. Developments come and go, however roots stay. I keep related by means of authenticity, telling Assam’s story with honesty and pleasure. My materials are felt, not simply worn, and that emotional connection is timeless.
