Designer Vino Supraja is about to turn heads at London Fashion Week with her stunning collection, ‘Weave: A Bhavani Tribute.’ This innovative line showcases exquisite handbags crafted from the vibrant, handwoven Bhavani jamakkalams, famous for their bold stripes in rich reds, blues, and greens. It also introduces modern western silhouettes, reimagined through intricate patchwork inspired by these traditional rugs. This remarkable collection is the culmination of Vino’s two-year journey into the heart of Bhavani, Erode district.
The jamakkalam weavers of Bhavani
Vino’s inspiration stemmed from a deep desire to explore the handwoven jamakkalams of the region. She previously collaborated with a weaving cluster in Chennimalai for a collection inspired by the folk art of therukoothu. During her visit to Bhavani, she was met with a somber sight: broken, dusty looms covered in cobwebs. She observed a distressing lack of young weavers, with even the experienced older artisans struggling to find consistent work. Based in Dubai, Vino was moved by the fading craft.
A weaver with the jamakkalam
Vino believes that the traditional rug format alone might not be enough to revive this beautiful craft. She notes that jamakkalams, once laid out for special occasions, are less frequently used in homes today. Driven by this realization, Vino sought to reinvent the rug as a contemporary fashion statement. She passionately asserts that the striking patterns of Bhavani jamakkalams are as distinctive and luxurious as iconic designs like Gucci stripes or Burberry patterns.
From Vino Supraja’s collection featuring the Bhavani jamakkalam
Although jamakkalam bags exist, Vino envisioned creating premium products for the luxury markets in Dubai and Singapore, where her brand is already established. Her goal was to elevate the jamakkalam with exceptional labeling and packaging. She questioned why jamakkalams should be considered any less valuable than other luxury items, given that many high-end brands emphasize their handmade origins. For Vino, the jamakkalam is a heritage product, and she felt a strong responsibility to contribute to its preservation and global recognition.
The research and development phase spanned nearly a year, presenting several challenges in adapting the fabric. Vino highlighted that the coloring techniques have evolved over time. Traditionally, jamakkalams feature colored horizontal lines against white vertical lines, with weavers skillfully concealing the white in the final product. This specific characteristic proved particularly difficult when crafting the bags, as the white threads would often become visible when the fabric was bent.
Designer Vino Supraja
Through diligent research and development, these technical hurdles were successfully overcome. Vino collaborated closely with master weaver Sakthivel Periyasamy to develop a stunning range of handbags in rich shades of green, red, and purple. Hailing from Vandavasi near Thiruvannamalai, Vino’s diverse background includes training as an architect and experience in radio jockeying and television presentation before she ultimately found her true calling in fashion design. This marks her second appearance at London Fashion Week, following the showcase of her ‘Purisai’ collection in 2023.
From the J Collection by Vino Supraja
Adding an artistic dimension to the showcase, the collection’s unveiling will begin with a captivating performance by classical dancer and theatre artist Vaanmadhi Jagan. Vino explained that Vaanmadhi’s role is to gracefully introduce the jamakkalam to the London audience. This poignant, minute-long piece has been choreographed by Palani Murugan, a renowned therukoothu actor from the Purisai Duraisami Kannappa Thambiran Therukoothu Manram, set to original music by composer Paul Jacob.
Palani shared that to complement the track’s folk rhythms, he incorporated foot movements inspired by devarattam and thapattam into the choreography. The dancer will perform while holding the jamakkalam fabric, and as the piece progresses, Vaanmadhi has also woven in expressive eye movements from Bharatanatyam. This evocative performance will perfectly prelude the runway show, where models will present the collection to Paul Jacob’s ‘playful, foot-tapping music,’ as described by Vino.
In conceptualizing the show, Vino envisioned music deeply rooted in Tamil folk traditions, with an added layer of English rap. She discussed this idea with Paul Jacob, who then offered a track he had composed years prior. This unique composition features the voices of acclaimed artists Chinnaponnu and Anthony Daasan, and incorporates traditional instruments like the parai and kombu. The lyrics, inspired by a Bharati poem, convey a powerful message about environmental preservation and protecting forests.
Vaanmadhi, who accompanied Vino to Bhavani, developed a central motif for her performance inspired by the meditative, rhythmic sounds of the loom. She explained that the visual narrative of her piece is drawn directly from the graceful flow of straight lines and the vibrant, colorful bands characteristic of the jamakkalam.
Vaanmadhi emphasized the pivotal role of music in a fashion show, stating that it ‘sets the tone for what the designer is set to showcase.’ While the appreciation for traditional jamakkalams may be waning, there is hope that the global fashion stage, through Vino’s vision, can reignite interest and turn the tide for this precious craft.
London Fashion Week runs from September 18 to 22. Pieces from the ‘J Collection’ will be available, with handbags starting from ₹9575.