Reclaimed roots
Reclaimed Roots showcases what it means to breathe a new life into something that already exists.
Reclaimed Roots showcases what it means to breathe a new life into something that already exists. The collection explores some of the traditional textile techniques within India, such as block printing, weaving and hand embroidery. Using centuries old crafts have allowed the designer to further reconnect with her roots, and reclaim the meaning of these techniques by using them to re-form fabrics that would have otherwise been discarded. Most of the collection uses materials that Sapna was hoarding for years; her mother’s dresses, donated fabrics, as well as garments from charity shops, to make each piece unique. By turning discarded items into new pieces, every look tells a story, each hand made by the designer.
look 1
Look 1 is devoted to the craft of Weaving. The jacket was the first of the collection, which was inspired by a stunning handwoven Kurta that Sapna sourced in a charity shop. To embody woven elements in the collection was important, as it paid tribute to Sapna’s first collection ‘Club Sapna’, where Sapna’s handwoven fabrics built the connection to her journey as a weaver. Powered by sustainability, the designer incorporated her Mother’s old dress, which is seen on the back of the jacket and within the trousers; paying tribute to the nostalgia her mother had tied to the dress.
look 2
Look 2 is dedicated to the art of Block Printing. The garments are made out of fabrics that Sapna salvaged from her years at university. She used blocks from Ealing Road, a place that holds great inspiration for the designer, to pay homage to the craft. Block-Printing has been used for centuries within South Asian textiles, and is a significant heritage craft. Like weaving, It symbolises resistance, due to the resurgence of the craft post colonisation. By adding her signature embellishments on the sleeves, she challenged how different silhouettes could look just by adding or adjusting decoration.
look 3
Look 3 is powered by sustainability and hand embroidery. Made out of an old dress Sapna kept from her younger years, the look encompasses the journey of the designer through the process of re-purposing the fabric.The print of the dress remained so well preserved that she wanted to pay tribute to it by turning it into a piece that would be worn again in a new sense. The jacket also includes scrap fabrics from the first collection. The look is complete with the Icon Trousers hailing from ‘Club Sapna’, to pay homage to the collection where it all began.