28 June,2012 11:23 AM IST | | Surekha S
Stoles, tops, tunics, silk sarees, block-printed sarees and dupattas - all in hues of indigo - occupy shelves of the Creative Bee studio. The hand-woven and handcrafted products are part of a three-day exhibition titled, Indigo Moods.
"Indigo is a disinfectant and can prevent ailments in the monsoon. It's great for this season," says designer Bina Rao, who started Creative Bee design studio in Hyderabad around 17 years ago. Indigo Moods is their first exhibition in the city, having opened a franchise in Mumbai.
A highlight of the exhibition is the Shibori Indigo collection by designer Soham Dave. Shibori is the Japanese term for dyeing cloth by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, compressing, or capping (covering the cloth with a waterproof material). Some of the methods used are similar to tie-dye, or bandhani.
The garments on display have all been dyed at Creative Bee's dye farms. "We believe in promoting creative people and hence we decided to host Soham's collections," informs Rao. Creative Bee's original designs in indigo will also be on display.
"The technique of bandhani is a very traditional technique and it's great to showcase a large number of products using this technique," says Dave, who has been a professional designer for the last nine years.
Dave will showcase a range of tops, tunics, dresses and stoles, as well as Khadi pants and trousers in white and beige.
"These pants will go well with the Indigo tops," says the designer, adding, "All my products are handcrafted. We use natural fibres and colours. We believe in being eco-conscious and socially aware."