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Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Morii Design: How a Gandhinagar-based studio is sewing up a stitch library
Under the shade of a tree, a group of Kachhi Rabari women are huddled together. With their black lehngas tucked between their legs and their veils draped across their foreheads, their eyes follow the slender needles darting between their fingers. The women giggle and trade stories with each other, as they embroider the fabrics with their generational knowledge of Rabari bharath (or embroidery). Leading them is Brinda Dudhat, a product of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, who in 2019 co-founded Morii Design, a Gandhinagar-based textile design studio that crafts riveting textile tapestries using the erudite wisdom of over 180 artisans across 12 villages in India. The studio reimagines folk patchwork and motifs, embroidery techniques and block printing with modern flair. With the onset of machines that could master and replicate even the most complex handmade techniques, regional and rural thread-works unknowingly began to recede into oblivion. Dudhat noticed the change at the source: the women in pastoral and seminomadic communities, who once took hours embroidering their trousseaus for personal pleasure, were now assembling their clothing using machine-aided decorations. 'It was really surprising," says Dudhat, 30. 'There are some very complex stitches in Rabari embroidery alone. Now, however, there are machine-made ribbons available that replicate those stitches. So, the women stack these ribbons on to their dresses and just stitch them. Instead of traditional mirror embroidery, they use reflective acrylic or plastic discs. So, their wedding attires, which were once entirely hand-embroidered by them, now feature machine-made imitations," where only the smaller areas are filled in by their own creativity. Dudhat wanted to breathe a new life into these folk textile crafts—rekindling both pride and interest among the artisans, while monetarily empowering them as well. 'Craft has a PR problem," says Kabir, 33, Dudhat's partner and the other half of Morii Design. An NID graduate, he manages marketing. Together, the pair realised they needed to create a 'stitch library"; not only did they need to catalogue various Indian embroidery techniques but also create a comprehensive repository of new stitch combinations . 'At the moment, we are working with four different communities: the Jat community from Kutch, sujani artisans from Bihar, kantha craftspeople from West Bengal, and the Rabari community from Kutch," says Kabir. 'We have developed almost 40 new functional combinations in the Rabari embroidery itself, and are still in the process of creating many more." Morii Design is also working closely with Bela block printing's last known custodian Mansukhbhai Pitambar Khatri, while documenting the motifs of this age-old art form. At the forefront of the studio, though, are the women artisans. Back in 2019, when Dudhat had first considered working with them, she faced resistance. On the advice of a friend who mentioned a particular community whose handiwork had remained largely unexplored by modern designers, Dudhat rode pillion for two hours to a village 35km from Bhuj, to meet a Garasia Jat cluster. The pastoral Muslim community's personal clothing showcases their detailed geometric designs and intricate cross-stitch embroidery called Jat bharath. The womenfolk waved her off: 'Nahi hoga—not possible". Undeterred, the ambitious and optimistic 24-year-old at the time, continued to return to the village the following months, gradually earning the women's trust. The women hadn't worked with designers before, but the promise of consistent work and a stable income was deeply reassuring. 'Today, the Garasia Jats are the longest collaborating cluster," Kabir declares. In Japanese, mori translates to 'forest"—one that's lush and deeply alive. After spending a semester at Tama Art University in Tokyo, Japan (2015-2016), Dudhat found herself drawn to the 'Mori Girl" aesthetic, a Japanese fashion subculture that romanticises a life that's in harmony with nature. The palette is inspired by the woods: muddy browns, moss greens, soft whites and calming pastels. The style felt like a natural extension of her own sensibilities. That quiet, forest-like elegance now runs through the visual identity of Morii Design. 'So, much of our work is about reconnecting with nature, and reminding people of the importance of trees, forests and the ecosystems we so easily take for granted," Dudhat says. Each tapestry or wall art is distinct with striking colours and abstractions. The process begins at Dudhat's studio, where she designs a prototype. First, she assembles a base: a patchwork of fabrics sourced from weavers across India. 'Just by looking at them, ideas begin to take shape, where different colours come together almost instinctively. The patchwork is created first, and then I draw on top of it, imagining the textures with embroidery threads. It's a very intuitive process." Dudhat then takes these prototypes to the artisan cluster. The craftswomen are invited to choose the design they feel most drawn to. 'Some of the older Rabari women are more inclined to do mirror embroidery, for instance, while many sujani craftswomen opt for larger pieces," says Kabir. 'Bigger is better for them, not only monetarily but when they hold the finished work and stretch out their arms, they experience immense pride in seeing the full scale of what they've created." The process of letting craftswomen choose what resonates with them offers them creative freedom. But with a wide variety of embroidery methods and intricacies, it was clear that a uniform percentage model wouldn't be practical—'Especially since many of our pieces overlap multiple crafts," Kabir explains. 'So we sat with the artisans and co-created a wage system from scratch, beginning with a base rate that they felt was fair, and moved forward from there." In the spirit of contemporising, Morii Design brings together diverse folk handiwork traditions. A single piece might begin in one region adorned with colourful motifs printed using 200-year-old Bela blocks, then travel to a cluster in West Bengal to be kantha-stitched, or Bihar for sujani embroidery, and finally get bedazzled with tiny mirrors by Rabari women. The ultimate production is one that has passed many hands, and carries with it the emotions and stories of multiple lives. 'That said, it's also important for us to maintain the geographical integrity of the technique," says Dudhat. For example, a running kantha stitch could be easily replicated by other clusters and communities. 'But we ensure that a technique that specifically belongs to a certain region is executed there itself, since it has evolved in that place over generations." At the moment, the focus is on digitising the stitch library, which remains private for now, with the new combinations intended to help train the artisans. As Morii Design stitches tradition and contemporary storytelling together, their work stands as a quiet but powerful act of preservation. Radhika Iyengar is the author of Fire on the Ganges: Life Among the Dead in Banaras, and an independent arts and culture journalist. She posts @radhika_iy
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Twinning by design: TN brothers get into NID with top grades
Ahmedabad: The naked eye can barely tell them apart, but Kartik and Vignesh Rajan, both 19, try hard to be different. One is left-handed and sports round glasses, while the other is right-handed and prefers rectangular frames. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But the differences stop there — the twins are among India's top scorers in the Design Aptitude Test (DAT) of the National Institute of Design (NID) and have secured admission to the Bachelor of Design (BDes) programme at the same campus. "All through our academic life, we have scored identically. This frustrated school authorities to the extent that in several exams, we were made to sit in different exam halls. But our scores remained similar, if not identical," says Kartik. Vignesh says that they have spent their entire school life together, and much to their delight they will be spending four years of college together too. Sons of a computer engineer father who works in the e-learning segment, and homemaker mother, the Chennai twins did not have design on their minds till Class 11. Both chose to pursue science after scoring well in Class 10. Vignesh says he wished to pursue MBBS and become a neurosurgeon. "But medicine did not pique Kartik's interest. Once I realised that, we decided design may be a better choice as I was good at sketches and drawings," he at that time, was eyeing a UG programme in architecture and was preparing for the National Aptitude Test in Architecture. "While watching Vignesh prepare, I realised that the courses were similar. I thus decided to give it a go," he adds. The parents were supportive and wholeheartedly embraced their change in career plans. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After preparing for the Design Aptitude Test for a year, the two cracked the exam with top grades and fulfilled their mother's dream. "The result delighted us. We both selected NID Ahmedabad," says Kartik. While Vignesh wishes to specialise in product design or graphic design, Kartik wants to explore photography. "Science has remained our passion, and we would love to do something that is at the intersection of design and science or technology, possibly in the medical field," he adds. For Kartik, it is important to remain in India and work for India as he believes design is an important force for change. NID Ahmedabad officials said that Kartik and Vignesh are among the few twin siblings to secure admission to the institution. "Often, twins do not share the same interest or do not clear the exams at the same time. So, we have rare instances of twins getting admission for the same course," said a senior official. Meanwhile, the brothers also share a passion for the arts. They are both accomplished Bharatanatyam dancers and musicians in their own right. Vignesh says that right before the entrance exam, they were preparing for their arangetram performance (graduation ceremony) under the guidance of their guru KM Jayakrishnan. While Vignesh plays flute and saxophone, Kartik is a prolific guitarist. Is being an identical twin challenging? The brothers say that it is both good and bad —while there is always your brother to have your back, it does not encourage many to approach them individually. "But NID is a different place. We have so many classmates, and we consciously try to move in different circles," says Vignesh, adding that they are slowly settling in at the Ahmedabad campus.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 trip to the ISS will provide valuable inputs for Gaganyaan mission: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of will provide valuable inputs for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 'The Ax-04 mission will provide valuable inputs for ISRO's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. It offers hands-on experience in the nuances of international crew integration, medical and psychological preparation, real-time health telemetry, experiment execution, and crew–ground coordination,' ISRO said. It added that these insights will directly influence mission planning, safety validation, and astronaut readiness for India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission. 'This is one small step in orbit, but a giant leap in India's pursuit of human spaceflight and scientific discovery,' it added. ISRO said that preparations are also in progress for abort missions of the Gaganyaan mission and the first uncrewed test flight is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025. It added that the first crewed flight of the Gaganyaan mission is expected by the first quarter of 2027. The space agency also said that as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, Group Captain Shukla is carrying a selection of the finest of Indian handicrafts to the International Space Station (ISS). 'These symbolic items, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, reflect the diversity, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of India's traditional art forms, carefully curated to represent different regions and materials. These pieces serve as cultural ambassadors in space. Their journey aboard the ISS not only celebrates India's artistic legacy but also honours the generations of artisans who continue to keep these traditions alive,' the space agency said.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 will provide valuable inputs for Gaganyaan mission: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of will provide valuable inputs for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 'The Ax-04 mission will provide valuable inputs for ISRO's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. It offers hands-on experience in the nuances of international crew integration, medical and psychological preparation, real-time health telemetry, experiment execution, and crew–ground coordination,' ISRO said. It added that these insights will directly influence mission planning, safety validation, and astronaut readiness for India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission. 'This is one small step in orbit, but a giant leap in India's pursuit of human spaceflight and scientific discovery,' it added. ISRO said that preparations are also in progress for abort missions of the Gaganyaan mission and the first uncrewed test flight is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025. It added that the first crewed flight of the Gaganyaan mission is expected by the first quarter of 2027. The space agency also said that as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, Group Captain Shukla is carrying a selection of the finest of Indian handicrafts to the International Space Station (ISS). 'These symbolic items, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, reflect the diversity, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of India's traditional art forms, carefully curated to represent different regions and materials. These pieces serve as cultural ambassadors in space. Their journey aboard the ISS not only celebrates India's artistic legacy but also honours the generations of artisans who continue to keep these traditions alive,' the space agency said.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Govt: Secured over 40 plus GI tags for products including Kolhapuri chappal
The Maharashtra government has announced steps to protect and promote traditional crafts and manufacturing skills of the state, following reports that Italian luxury brand Prada showcased footwear resembling the Kolhapuri chappal in its Spring-Summer 2026 menswear collection. The move aims to strengthen branding and secure copyright protection for local artisans and their products. 'We have secured more than 40 plus GI tags for Maharashtra specific products including the Kolhapuri chappal. That is why it has become an issue for Prada now and they are in a legal soup. Some very positive news will come for kolhapuri chappal makers in the coming few days due to this GI tags that we have obtained. We are now in the process of getting 30 more GI tags in the coming few months,' Maharashtra Development Commissioner Deependra Singh Kushwah said during an industry-oriented conclave in Mumbai organised by Loksatta at the World Trade Center. Kolhapuri chappals have the geographical indication (GI) tag that certifies how a product originates from a specific geographical area and possesses qualities or a reputation because of that origin. A GI tag helps preserve traditional knowledge, cultural heritage, and the livelihoods of its local practitioners. Kushwaha said that Maharashtra was also committed to facilitate the building of brands manufactured in India that command global respect and value. He said that the state government has proposed a One District One Product (ODOP) scheme where 72 unique products, two from each district that reflect the state's rich cultural and economic diversity, will be nurtured. The scheme is aimed at enhancing value chains, boost market access, and empower local producers. The programme includes capacity building by training producers to understand market dynamics, consumer demands, and business development strategies and also collaborate with institutions like the National Institute of Design to improve product aesthetics, packaging, and marketability. It includes setting up district-level quality testing laboratories, to ensure product quality and consumer trust and authenticate the value chain. Kushwah said that Maharashtra is also the only state where all districts are engaged in export activity with five key districts contributing 75 per cent of the state's total exports, and the next five accounting for an additional 20 per cent. The remaining 26 districts contribute to 5 per cent of the total exports. He said that the states aim was to increase the total value of exports from all the districts for which the Maharashtra government is currently supporting 30 export-oriented industrial parks, and over the next 4–5 years, these parks will receive targeted grants and policy support.
