In a nationwide address Hon’ble PM Modi threw light on the relevance of locally produced products in emerging out of the Covid hit economy. It is incumbent upon all of us to not only help local producers get past this economic crisis but also to uplift them with the right support to anchor us towards a strong and resilient economy. According to the last census, it was predicted that India of 2020 will have 34.33% share of youth in total population and that makes odds in our favor. A country with the size of population and talent has a huge untapped potential for reshaping the economy post-COVID-19. Says Gautam Gupta, “We are sitting on a goldmine of young manpower which can not only make us self sufficient but also launch us into a sustainable growth phase with the right kind of infrastructure, policies, support systems, incubation, training and direction.
We are witnessing a crucial point in history where many flawed systems are being uncovered as the world sits under this giant lockdown and one of them is the underutilization of our craft capacity. We have got once in a lifetime opportunity to bring to the center stage what is our identity. This is the time to rebrand and promote handmade crafts locally and globally. And as they say, ‘every global brand was once local’, hopefully, we will put our homegrown brands on the map down the line.”
As he adds the further, “At Asha Gautam, we have believed in this potential from the beginning of our days. Asha Gupta’s love for refurbishing and playing with textiles was the starting point of our label. She mixed different textiles and created eclectic designs from what was available. Her love for Indian crafts has only grown over the years and has found expression in all the designs from her design house.” Gautam took the brand to the next level by delving deeper into the traditional crafts and textiles. The mother-son duo traveled to a dozen of clusters in the pursuit of authentic crafts. They worked with artisans and weavers at the grass-root level to bring to their audience, pieces that resonate with the clients of the 21st century while being rooted in heritage crafts.
”There is a gap between what consumers need today and what artisans make and a lot of research and creativity is required to bridge the gap. Indian handmade textiles are not as drape friendly as many imported fabrics and that is one of the biggest reasons behind their low demand. Thanks to the design innovation by textile designers in the industry we see more versatile indigenous fabrics” says Asha Gupta
“I think our local crafts are much understated in global fashion despite being our biggest assets. We have been hearing so much about eco-friendly, sustainable and handmade fashion lately but all these characteristics have been innate to our brand since the conception and we have been committed to these models for over 22 years of our existence now. These practices are synonymous with our culture and evolution here in India. Unfortunately, the traditional Indian apparel and textile industry as a whole got eclipsed for a few years after globalization but it is reemerging. It comes as an encouragement now that everyone is thinking of using these old models with a hint of newness when we have been sticking to them all this while at Asha Gautam. We are also thinking of new ways to use our expertise for the benefit of clients, environment and community “says Gautam Gupta. BNB