IKAT
An astoundingly refined craft, lkat is a dual technique that entails both weaving and dyeing. Here, the yarn is resist dyed prior to weaving the fabric. Once woven on the loom, the piece is dyed, sometimes repeatedly, to reveal a final fabric resplendent with the colourful motifs.
Design and Innovation
- ODISHA
In the heart of Odisha, a chance encounter became the seed of an extraordinary idea. Gaurang met a master weaver originally from Paithan, who had migrated to this weaving-rich state over 16 years ago. From this serendipitous meeting emerged a bold vision—to fuse two highly distinct weaving traditions: Odisha’s Ikat and Paithani’s rare ‘Kagazi’ Jamdani.
Working in close collaboration with this weaver and a local Ikat artisan, Gaurang conceived the first hybrid saree of its kind. The result was breathtaking: an exquisitely detailed Jamdhani border and pallu, paired with a body woven in the finest single Ikat technique. This masterpiece took three years to complete, a testament to the patience, precision, and imagination behind it.
The response was overwhelming. The saree was celebrated as a one-of-a-kind creation, inspiring Gaurang to commission the Paithani weaver to train a new generation of artisans in his delicate Jamdani method. Today, twelve dedicated looms in Odisha are weaving this exceptional fusion, bringing together the lyrical geometry of Ikat and the fine floral poetry of Jamdani—a marriage of traditions that is both rare and resplendent.