Traditional Indian Costumes And Textiles

After years of searching through dusty museum collections and royal stores across India, acclaimed designer Ritu Kumar has uncovered many of the last surviving examples of traditional royal clothing. Her book is a celebration of this rich legacy of textiles and craftsmanship. This in-depth study of the evolution of Indian royal costume spans the centuries from the first representations of clothing in ancient India, through the reign of the Mughal emperors and the days of the British Raj, to Indian independence and royalty in the present day. The author covers both men's and women's garments, Hindu and Muslim styles, and documents the evolution of European-Indian fashions. This sumptuous volume is illustrated with a variety of material, much of which has never been published before ranging from archive photographs, miniatures, royal portraits and cinema stills, to detailed images of garments and textiles from as far back as the seventeenth century. A separate section explains in detail the techniques behind the traditional crafts of weaving, dyeing, printing and embroidery, with sketches and patterns illustrating a variety of garments. Specially commissioned photographs of members of royalty wearing their traditional clothes emphasise the colour, shape, ornament and texture of these stunning costumes. This royal family album is supplemented by stories of royal India told to the author by the last Rajmatas who still remember the splendours of courtly life. AUTHOR: Ritu Kumar is one of India's foremost designers, who has developed a unique style combining the ancient traditions of Indian craftsmanship with contemporary innovations. She began her work many years ago in a small village near Calcutta with just four hand-block printers and a couple of tables. 360 colour & 100 b/w illustrations

An essential book for those interested in Indian style and culture.

Traces the history of Indian textile production, describes weaving, painting, printing, and tie-dye techniques, and surveys textile production and decoration in the various regions

Indian Costumes provides a brief survey of how our people dressed themselves in the past and how they now dress themselves in the different regions of this country

A ready reference for students, research scholars, and academicians in the field of clothing, textiles, and design A comprehensive text, written in a structured and coherent manner Includes over 1300 photographs of textiles, processes, designs and equipment Painted, Printed and Resist-dyed Textiles, Volume I of Traditional Indian Handcrafted Textiles, is a comprehensive text, put in a structured and coherent manner as a ready reference for all students, research scholars and academicians in the field of clothing, textiles and design. This book puts forth various traditional handpainted, printed and resist-dyed textiles, from different regions of India. It focuses on examining the history of textile traditions, their characteristic features, and analyzes the techniques of painting, printing and resist-dyeing; it includes documenting and understanding processes, colors, materials and motifs with their symbolism. Photographs have been provided to help the readers identify the textiles. Woven Textiles, Volume II of Traditional Indian Handcrafted Textiles, is a comprehensive text, put in a structured and understandable manner as a ready reference for all students, research scholars, and academicians in the field of clothing, textiles, and design. This book puts forth various traditional handwoven textiles from different regions of India. It focuses on examining the history of these textile traditions, their characteristic features, and analyzes the techniques of weaving and types of looms used. It includes documenting and understanding the weaving processes, colors, raw materials, and motifs used in the handwoven textiles. Photographs have been provided to help the readers identify the textiles.

Costumes, Textiles and Jewellery of India- Traditions in Rajasthan unveils the eloquent world of traditional Indian attire and adornment. Costume and ornamentation in India is not exclusively a reflection of the wearer's personality and preferences. It is the index of a culture proclaiming the place of origin, social position, marital status, occupation, religious affiliations and even the moods of the changing seasons as well as other socio-psychological aspects of daily life. This book focuses on Rajasthan, one of India's most celebrated states, in all the glory of its colorful history and tradition. It documents in detail, the costume and accessories of a cross-section of social groups, at a time when change and tradition are beginning to merge and evolve in the creation of new aesthetic dimensions. Each of the six sections takes up a separate aspect of costume describing rare and complex textile techniques, the nuances of clothing and colour and its usage among various social groups and provides the reader an insight into ornamentation. The section on Garment analysis includes measurements and patterns of commonly worn garments.