Madhu Jain showcased specially curated collection at Amazon India Fashion Week 2017

The name of Madhu Jain, Craft Revivalist and Textile Conservationist and designer extraordinaire, is synonymous with swadeshi. From the time she launched her label in 1987, Madhu has worked only with natural fibres that are quintessentially Indian in ethos and execution. This gravitation towards traditional, organic textiles is a reflection of her personal sensibility, and she has carved a niche for herself as the country’s most respected textile revivalist, whose fine creations and revival of rare and extinct motifs and textiles are embedded in strong Indian roots.

In her career, Madhu has experimented extensively with textiles and continues to innovate to craft unique blends that are characteristically true to her “made-in-India” natural fibres label. Madhu’s speciality lies in developing textiles in distinctive combinations of two different weaving traditions from two states or regions to create new textiles, high on quality and design. This seamless blending has made Madhu a forerunner in the indigenous traditional weaves industry.

Madhu’s formidable work has impacted the handlooms sector by giving it a fresh lease of life, and for which she was awarded the FICCI FLO award in 2009 for excellence in the field of creative arts. She has worked with various government and NGOs in development, design, and marketing of indigenous textiles and crafts. In recognition of her impressive track record in revitalising the crafts sector, for the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2010, she was given the rare honour of crafting an installation in the “Fabric of India” segment. Using the skills of 300 weavers, 500 craftsmen and 200 hand embroidery artisans, Madhu designed and executed a giant 115-feet eco-friendly craft installation using bamboo fibre and Kalamkari craft technique. Here too, she innovated in marrying weaves from two states to create a confluence of cultures. She was also instrumental in introducing bamboo fibre in India as an alternative, eco-friendly textile, and showcased her textiles and outfits at the 7th Bamboo Congress in 2004. For this collection, she successfully merged bamboo with Khadi, Chanderi, and wool. An early feather in Madhu’s cap was at the 1997 Miss World Pageant where she showcased her Nakshi Kantha and Dhaka Muslin Craft, both of which she revived from near-extinction in India, winning international acclaim. Another foray was Miss India Worldwide 2009, for which Madhu was the official Style and Design partner to promote the traditional sari. More recently, she restored a rare khadi sari woven in prison in 1941 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, a project that she cherishes enormously.

Madhu’s latest collection takes the Ikat weaving craft style to another level, deservedly earning her the sobriquet of First Lady of Ikat. Here, she showcases a blending of several cultures that straddles geographies, from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in India, to Thailand and Uzbekistan. The collection bears her inimitable stamp of exquisite craftsmanship, striking design intervention, and an outstanding colour palette. The best part? That every single textile innovated by Madhu has been woven in India. To stunning effect! Thus, you will find a combination of the Thai weft style of Matmi or Mudmee Ikat blended with the Odisha Ikat or Andhra Ikat weaves. The Indo-Uzbek Ikat weaves is a sublime unifying of the traditional weaving styles of these two different geographic regions, and Madhu has managed to successfully create a winning convergence of the two distinct styles that bring out the best from both cultures.

Madhu Jain's exquisite collection was introduced with some soul-stirring singing by the mesmerising Raghav Meattle, a Finalist of the wildly popular TV show 'The Stage'

Madhu Jain wishes to extend a special, warm thanks to her friends who graced the stage for her tonight -- Neelam Pratap Rudy, Ambika Shukla and Ruchi Malhotra Makhni.