Delhi-based Pala Designs, founded by Suja Ayers in 2020, is one of the visionary labels that thrives on creating slow fashion.
In 2021, sustainability is no longer a mere buzzword – it is a mantra that must permeate every aspect of life in order to live up to its true intention. A recent charity event held in Delhi celebrated this change in mindset by promoting four designers whose life work has been to create beautiful yet sustainable fashion. Delhi-based Pala Designs, founded by Suja Ayers in 2020 was one of the visionary labels that was showcased.
Her background in the hospitality industry afforded Ayers the chance to learn various aspects of design in this field – whether it was the creation of uniforms or interiors. The most enjoyable part for her was incorporating the local culture into every aspect of design. While designing uniforms for a resort in Oman in 2006, she took inspiration from the Arabic door carvings to create the embroidery.
She shares, “Art and craft classes in school were always my favourite. I learnt to sew, embroider, and crochet as a child and even dappled in lace making. While living in Oman in 2016, I was involved in sourcing sustainable, eco-friendly clothing and accessories for the Alila Living boutique. For this, I would work and collaborate with local artisans and designers across the country. Upon my return to India, I knew I wanted to continue this work in an Indian context. This led to Pala Designs, which started in September 2020.”
Describing itself as a small business, Pala Designs thrives on creating slow fashion. The artisans are encouraged to work at their own pace, to create unique pieces which reflect their personal stories as well as the stories of their art forms. The pandemic only strengthened their belief that working slow is the best way to revive traditional methods of weaving and embroidering – an art that till recently was considered a dying one.
Ayers’ vision was noticed by Esther David who was responsible for overseeing the events of the Union Jack Club – a club for members of the British High Commission, New Delhi. David wanted to create an impactful and positive event to support the charities of the High Commission before she moved onto her next assignment in another part of the world and approached Ayers to be part of it.
“She was very clear that only sustainable designers who support local art and craft would be included in this event. That’s when I contacted Sonam Dubal who is known for his sustainable label Sanskar. In turn, he got in touch with Madhu Jain and Sunita Shanker, and we quickly had a full-fledged fashion presentation in place with four designers! I really appreciate that Esther took time to listen to the story of our journeys and artistic vision to curate the final show,” says Ayers speaking about this momentous collaboration.
With COP 26 (Conference of the Parties on Climate Change) in the news, the members of the Club felt that a showcase of eco-conscious and tradition-focussed brands would be a great way to spread the message of sustainability while raising money for the charities they support. Hence, every aspect of the event was planned with this theme in mind.
On a cool, clear autumn evening in November this year, the four talented designers presented eight pieces each. Ayers focussed on her creations made with Kala cotton which is a naturally sustainable fabric indigenous to the Rann of Kutch. She sourced the fabric from the region of Sarli in Gujarat and combined it with upcycled antique Kutch embroidered yokes to create kurtas and dresses. Two Shibori (Japanese tie-dye technique) kaftans, which have come to be identified as the signature of Pala Designs, were also showcased, along with two dresses made from upcycled saris. The Pala Designs showstopper was a flowy dress created in a Sufi style, which had been hand block-printed by a local artisan from Delhi. Each piece was accessorised with upcycled jewellery made from sari scraps. “The models who walked for me were from all walks of life – lawyers, communication managers, doctors, journalists and even a student,” smiles Ayers, adding, “It took me over a month to put together the collection. I began by using my basic designs, then added some extra embroidery and detailing to create an impactful show.”
Other designers brought their own creativity on board. Sonam Dubal is best known for upcycling old silks and extensively using elements unique to the North-East region of the country, to create vintage outfits. Sunita Shanker collaborates with craft communities to give a contemporary relevance to the traditional crafts of India. Her collection in this show featured Bandhini from Kutch and Kantha from Bengal. Madhu Jain is a renowned Indian textile designer and an advocate of bamboo fabric. She is known for her ikat weaves inspired by various regions of the world including Uzbekistan, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
The show was choreographed by singer, actor, and choreographer Gilles Chuyen, who also performed contemporary Sufi dances between the fashion sets. A raffle was held to support the charities, and the evening ended with dinner and dancing, to the delight of the engaged audience. “The show was so successful and well-received that there is talk of it becoming an annual event!” beams Ayers.
Her happy sentiments are echoed by other attendees. “I was glad to see designers like Suja Ayers and Sonam Dubal present an amalgamation of style, culture, and sustainability through their bespoke clothes, to a discerning crowd at the charity event. While the ubiquity of fast fashion has made us all consumers, designers like them help make our fashion choices local, eco-friendly, and ethical,” says Nima Chodon, a Communications Officer at the CIMMYT’s sustainability intensification program.
Another attendee, Jannika Borresen, who is a Diplomat at the Norwegian embassy shares, “I have previously bought designs from Suja and really like her style. It was so fun seeing all the designs staged at the sustainable fashion show. I describe her clothes as daily-wear comfortable clothing that is still glamorous, with a touch of Indianness. Overall, the event was a great evening with a wonderful theme.”
Ayers stays steadfastly sustainable by maintaining transparency about her source of fabrics, the working conditions of her workshop and the upkeep and remuneration of her artisans. She also uses upcycled fabrics extensively in her designs, including the packaging. Her upcycled sari bag packaging is especially popular with her patrons.
The upcoming collection for summer will be made with handwoven textiles from the region of Phulia in West Bengal and will follow a theme of flowy and easy to wear silhouettes. Pala Design clothing can be accessed through their website designsbypala.com and Instagram page @designs_by_pala.
The writer pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com. She can be reached on nooranand@gmail.com.