Aamod, Anavila’s debut bridal collection champions the return to authenticity and quiet luxury, drawing inspiration from the well of sacred wisdom that arises from the Vedas. Aamod, the Vedic resonance of joy, is intimate and personal wherein the wearer has to rise from her own inner sanctum of beauty and pleasure.
A melange of lehengas, saris and kaftans, the collection is nothing short of an extraordinary journey of love for the warp and weft of the loom. Onto the weaves of diaphanous khadi silks and linen zari, are prints of Bundi miniature paintings, exquisite embroidery, applique motifs, lehariya–all deeply rooted in the romantic prose and poetry of 17th-century Rajasthan.
The Root of Authenticity
According to the Vedas, there are a variety of karmic commitments one is expected to perform in life, and or marriage is one of them. Ancient sages believed it to be the sacred gift of progeny, allowing life to be nurtured and nourished generation after generation. In Vedic times, thousands of years ago, this communion held women in high esteem 'Swayamvara', where a woman had the freedom to choose her husband from among the eligible bachelors invited to her house is a case in point. This communion, seen not only as between two people, was also a divine union between humans with the elements of nature. The Vedic mantras therefore are recited for the gods Agni, Indra, Soma, and Saraswati, amongst others. In fact, in its authentic version, the entire cosmos was invoked for the benediction of this marriage.
The authenticity of these communions must be honoured lest weddings simply become displays of ostentatiousness on a cinematic level, relying mostly on drama not depth. A Vedic wedding, which was once an unadulterated homage to the continuity of life where the bridal adornments themselves were the biggest signifiers and custodians of the values of craft heirloom, cultural identity, and longevity of the true essence of marriage, can become the trappings of unprecedented commodification. Therefore, Vedic rituals our collective heritage which celebrates the interconnectedness of two human beings, also sanctifies the sensorial and natural elements of Mother Earth.
Vedic Resonance of Joy
The enslaving of the sacred to the sensational is what Anavila has resisted in her debut bridal collection called Aamod. Championing the return to authenticity, she draws inspiration from the well of ancient wisdom that arose from the Vedas. Aamod, the Vedic resonance of joy, is intimate and personal wherein the wearer has to rise from her own inner sanctum of beauty and pleasure. Aamod invokes that which is deep and profound within her. We know from our heritage that a variety of Sanskrit hymns have been passed down for millennia to encapsulate and offer to all, the spiritual resonance of Aamod, verses that venerate the rhythm of life and life’s divine blessings. Marriage is one of them.
Anavila’s Sartorial Journey
The lead-up to Anavila’s first couture collection is nothing short of an extraordinary journey of love for the warp and weft of the loom. Back in 2011 when she started the brand, her passionate experimentation with indigenous textiles and textures saw the advent of the modern sari infused with all the goodness of traditional techniques. Her 13-year academic and aesthetic enquiry into the linen sari, was a complex but thrilling journey that led her from spartan and unembellished monochrome saris to exuberant ones–the exquisite warp and weft of which became the canvas for ancient techniques of block printing and khatwa amongst others. By making the weaves light, diaphanous and lustrous, it is as if the sari exuded a breath of her own, embracing the lightness of being–qualities she admires in modern women who want style with ease.
This she has achieved after 13 years of joyful co-creation with textile weavers of West Bengal, applique artisans in Jharkhand, embroiderers of Rajasthan, printers of Gujarat, amongst many others; and in Aamod you will see a refined amalgamation of all her passionate learnings through the years.
Homage to Quiet Luxury
Onto her weaves of diaphanous khadi silks, are prints of Bundi miniature paintings, deeply rooted in the romantic prose and poetry of 17th century Rajasthan. Whether as exquisite embroidery, khatwa motifs, lahariya or Bundi prints, the design scenography is an entrancing narrative of Mother Nature- and her celebration of the seasons that evoke the romance of the Nayikas, against the abundance Bundi’s flora fauna, peacocks, birds and deers.
The collection–a melange of lehengas, saris and kaftans are offered in a patina of hues–turquoise, berry, yellow, peach, ivory–all reminiscent of the ancient Bundi frescos. The metallic kaftans in linen zari weave rely solely on the zari being the shimmering heroine of this silhouette. With no deep colours and ostentatious surface ornamentation, the collection is a homage to a world of discernment vintage and nostalgia.
“Nature is my teacher of simplicity,” says Anavila. “Nature cooperates and is constantly in the flow. Extravagance in nature has a purpose, like a flower whose wild colours must attract the bees towards her nectar. However, we humans often mistake complexity and extravagance for luxury.” When you see the motifs of the magnificent Bundi frescos sprinkled discreetly in the trousseau, it is indeed a tribute to the art of subtlety and quiet abundance. The delicate applique from Jharkhand that creates extraordinary narratives in the marital textiles, gently marries two human beings to the very threads of life.
The Essence of Aamod
Aamod is a disruption of bridal trousseau that is oftentimes weighed down by over-ornamentation and heaviness of design complexities. Anavila believes that true luxury is that which can metamorphose from heavy to light, dense to delicate, drama to detail, and maximalism to minimalism. Aamod is an ode to the beauty of simplicity.
It is for this reason that Aamod offers a place for quiet discernment, calling on the inner recognition and the embracement of the authentic. The collection salutes those who value the knowledge of provenance and embrace that which is harmonious with a holistic, fulfilling life.
Words Platform Desk
Date 24.10.2023
Words Platform Desk
Date 24.10.2023