By Aditi Datta
Not all who wander are lost, especially if you happen to be a scrap of silk looking to live life a bit on the edge.
There’s something undeniably luxurious about beautiful silk. Combined with the rich world of Indian textiles, we have access to the highest state of sartorial being in the form of the sari. Strutting without tripping on the sari border is perhaps a tad easier than the elusive art of gracefully getting out of a car whilst wearing one. But that’s no reason to abstain from enjoying sari fabric in more eccentric and fun little ways.
House of Wandering Silk produces utterly stunning fashion accessories made from silk. Their range of products is nothing if not extraordinary.
We like the no-sleeve Kantha sari shrugs, which work as a lovely layer {best accentuated with a belt} that keeps us safe from cool evenings, and photographs that tend to not flatter. We adore the bow-ties for men, reinforced by an end to end Kantha stitch, lending beautiful texture to this quirky accessory. We’re in love with the silk necklaces, either made into strings of multi-layered beads or woven into bunched cables, all made from scrap pieces of silk leftover from the scarf production process, so that nothing goes to waste. It’s the Haiku of jewellery.
This is fashion with a conscience. Katherine Neumann is something of a wanderer herself. After having lived in lands as diverse as Australia, Japan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, she finally made her way to India to dive head-first into her passion for textiles. But she wasn’t about to feel bad about being draped in luxury. Instead, she started a social enterprise that takes weavers and artisans along on the joy ride.
So when you take a small step out of your house proudly wearing your beloved silk possession, you know it’s been a giant leap for marginalised communities in bringing financial empowerment and social upliftment. By providing fair-pay employment supporting health and education, artisans who know the craft of rich fabric no longer get the raw end of the deal.
Notes in our Little Black Book |
Stunning, luxurious silk products with a conscience made by a social enterprise that supports communities, and especially women, by bringing financial empowerment, as well as pride in craft. Recycled and upcycled silk is transformed into scarves, jewellery, and other little bits of textile poetry.
To buy online or for more information, click here
Price: Sari necklaces start at INR 2000; Kantha bow-ties and neck-ties at INR 2400; silk scarves start at INR 4000
For stockists in India, Click here