How Anita Dongre help to promote the crafts of Indian female artisans?

Anita Dongre is one of the fashion designers of India who has played a major role in helping the craftwork of women artisans of the country thrive. She has actively promoted them. One of the major steps that she has taken in this regard has been starting a project named Grassroot in August 2015. This project can be called a veritable conclusion of all the values that she enshrines as an individual and as a business entrepreneur. These are the principles that she has staunchly adhered to all her life and she believes in them with all her being.

Qualities of Grassroots

All the products manufactured under the banner of Grassroot are earth-friendly, animal-friendly, and eco-friendly as well. In fact, as Dongre has said time and again, Grassroots remains the closest to her heart. She has openly expressed her desire to be able to do some work with traditional Indian craft forms. According to her these are steeped in tradition apart from being “real, earthy and rich” in her own words. She has always wanted to bring back the importance of the heirloom and handicraft tradition of India and with Grassroots she wants to be able to do just that.

Why was it necessary?

Speaking about Grassroot, Dongre has said that the critical state of Indian handicraft and art has forced her to take such a decision in the first place. According to her the craft industry in India is dying a slow death with every passing day. This is why she feels that it is very necessary to have fashion houses to save it. Even though she has taken a right step in this regard with the creation of Grassroot she feels that more such entities need to come around and establish partnerships with the local artisans.

Giving them a platform

She feels that these entities can give these artisans a platform where they can showcase their work. This she feels will be a scenario where everyone involved will be significantly benefited. This will also help these artisans sustain their work over a longer period of time. Grassroot is already playing a major role in supporting these artists carrying on with their work. The design teams working for Dongre travel to various villages with NGOs and study their work. They then create a design language that is based on that and has a global appeal as well.

What are the areas of work?

Grassroot has so far worked with eight weaves and 12 craft styles and forms. Some of them may be mentioned as below:

·         Banaras

·         Ikat

·         Khadi

·         Bhagalpur Silk

·         Chikankari

·         Block Prints

·         Bandhani

·         Warli paintings

The organization has also worked in a number of states of India such as Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh (AP), and Uttar Pradesh (UP). It has collaborated with organizations such as SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre in order to make sure that the women artisans from villages in Gujarat have at least 100 days of work.

Benefits

This has benefitted a number of women artisans in villages across the state. Normally the NGO is responsible for payment, which is decided on the basis of hours devoted to creating the piece. Also taken into account in this case is the level of complexity associated with the work created. The final product is priced in a competitive manner so that more demand can be created for the same. In fact, it is this thought process that has made the entire project sustainable in the first place. Dongre feels that with Grassroot she will be able to give some dignity back to the artisans that they need so much.