Anavila Misra courts khadi for her new collection

Anavila Misra’s new line that features khadi on jamdani saris and separates celebrates the understated elegance of the weave

Anavila Misra’s new line of saris and separates is called Quiet, alluding to the understated elegance of khadi. “Khadi is a way of life,” the designer reiterates, during an interview on the sidelines of launching Quiet at Good Earth, Hyderabad. (The collection is also available at Good Earth stores in Chennai and Bengaluru; she also plans to stock them at Amethyst in Chennai and Raintree in Bengaluru soon.)

Even before sustainability, slow fashion and conscious clothing became talking points in fashion, Anavila has been prioritising the ethos of sustainable clothing by working with handwoven linen with minimalistic motifs since the launch of her signature label in 2011.

She remembers the hesitancy of weavers to take to linen in the initial years: “They were game to weave stoles since those could be done on smaller looms, not the saris. They were not sure if there would be takers.” 

Today she works with 200 weaver families in Phulia, West Bengal, and her airy, easy-to-drape linen saris have given her label a distinct identity.

Anavila’s romance with khadi began a few years ago. She had heard her mother recall how white khadi saris with simple motifs were worn by women in Punjab, pre-independence, while cooking in the kitchen: “These saris had gone to Punjab from Bengal; our ancestors knew about climate-friendly fabrics.”

When she decided to launch a khadi line, she began interacting with weavers in Burdwan, West Bengal, in 2018-19: “They have been working with khadi for years and the yarn is available locally. The craftspeople are adept at using vegetable dyes; 80% of this collection uses vegetable dyes.”

The saris, kurtas, anti-fit tops inspired by bandis of yore are woven using fine count khadi (120 thread count and above) with motifs in jamdani. The colour palette ranges from pastel vegetable dyes to shades of indigo as well as brighter pinks and yellows targeting a younger clientele. Detailing is subtle and elegant. As Anavila puts it, “the textile is the hero, so I prefer the minimalistic approach”. The saris and garments are priced ₹9,500 upwards.