Kutch is a muse and a starting point for Kabila. It is home to many communities, each carrying its own histories, capacities and ways of making. A landscape rich in crafts and culture. We found so many different communities that we collaborate with- the Marwadas, Rabaris, Khatris, Ahirs, Maheshwaris, all coming together under one roof called “Kabila”.
Kabila begins this journey of dialogue and play, always at a community level.
The shirts begin as handwoven fabric from Bhujodi, Kutch. Each length is then neatly folded, clamped and dyed in Azo-free dyes by the Khatris (@) community. Variations in folding, pressure and dye absorption mean the process cannot be repeated in the same way twice.
The beauty of the process is that no two shirts are identical.
BTS of the folding, clamping and dyeing process.
Once the fabric reaches our tailors table, each shirt is cut separately and made individually. The process is slow and deliberate- moving from hand weaving to clamp-dyeing and finally to customized tailoring.
Our Anjali (in pink) and Laxmi (in blue) checks are created through this sequence of making. Moving through many hands, across many “Kabilas” (communities).
Each shirt is shaped by collective effort.