Rejuvenation of fashion

Sabyasachi Mukherjee, leading Indian designer, known for his distinctive style made famous by his eponymous label, was the Special Guest along with Pinky Reddy, past FICCI national president, at Power Hour 4 hosted by FICCI FLO Hyderabad chapter. In conversation with him was Priya Tanna, Editor in Chief Vogue India, on a topic titled 'Future of Luxury and The Role of Make in India." In a journey spanning nearly two decades, Sabyasachi pioneered the use of handlooms in his design collection.

His khadi, cotton and hand-woven silk sarees are quintessential in their appeal and presentation. Some of his creations for Bollywood films such as 'Guzaarish', 'Baabul', 'Laaga Chunari Mein Daag', 'Raavan', and 'English Vinglish' won him a lot of acclaim.

Said Usharani Manne, Chairperson of FICCI FLO Hyderabad chapter and Founder-Director of Polmon Instruments Pvt. Ltd in her opening address, "We are delighted to have had the chance to host Sabyasachi. It was motivating to hear his views that align very well with our objectives. We, at FLO Hyderabad chapter, have been working towards promoting a platform - StyleTatva - for showcasing original and designer weavers' work from various regions.

We started StyleTatva last year, which had more than 8000 footfalls in Hyderabad city, and helped a lot of artisans. FLO works towards helping weavers to present their works in a more polished manner that spotlights their originality in design and creative appeal. We also guide weavers on how to adapt their designs to the changing requirements such as the prevailing season preferences and trends."

Some of the other initiatives include specialised management online courses in the offing for our women leaders and entrepreneurs from "IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Shillong."

Sabyasachi Art Foundation, which promotes arts and crafts his new collaborations about the same he said, "My design philosophy is very simple – personalised imperfection of the human hand. I intensely believe that clothes should be an extension of one's intellect. Indian hand-woven sarees not only create a strong visual statement but also help in carving a distinct identity for the Indian woman."

Another speaker Pinky Reddy said, "I am very committed to weaving sustainability element into all my endeavors. I started a venture called Lotus House that works towards reviving and promoting fast disappearing indigenous art. Lotus House today is playing a major role in the rejuvenation of ancient art, ensuring that struggling artists are provided the encouragement and resources to revive a dying art and earn a decent living."