Deepika says photo shoot no luxury stint
Designer Deepika Govind who is known for her work in traditional craft and has been working consistently with weavers of Karnataka is in the line of fire with regard to a photoshoot done for her Spring/Summer 2012 collection. As reported by a daily, the picture that has been drubbed as ‘poverty chic’ has a model dressed in a blue outfit, posing next to a weaver and his wife.
In response to the published article, Deepika says, “It is the writer’s own perspective. Those who know me and have followed my work know that I do portray tradition and modernity. Fashion to me has always been a medium to promote traditional textiles in a modern capsule. I hold sacred the sensitive touch of the human hand, the meditative thought of the weaver. Having travelled to remote villages in this country, I have an intrinsic respect for the weaver community.”
Shocked by the reports, Deepika confesses, “I was taken aback by the sensationalised article. My long arduous journey as a designer comprises of days spent in remote villages of Orissa, Gujarat, Guwahati, Andhra and Karnataka. It is not a luxury stint but sheer passion for textiles that drives me from village to village.”
When asked what is she trying to depict through the photograph, Deepika answers, “This couple is not starving or poverty stricken. To most weavers, the fabric that comes off the loom is just a textile. They are simply marvelling at the metamorphosis of the textile that their very own hands have woven into being.”
Agreeing that the issue of poverty requires sensitive handling, Deepika says, “Poverty is a sensitive issue. It is the very reason I weave in remote villages and small towns. Besides providing income to many, we are also able to reach out to the young by giving these traditional textiles a contemporary feel. In this case the visuals are not representative of poverty. The picture shows the connection between the creator and the creation.”
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