Artificial Intelligence , an intelligent choice ?

A session on artificial intelligence had my Human intelligence pacing up and down at being threatened by this new kid on the block !

My higher intelligence then descended on my Human intelligence to show me the future !
How crazy is that ? Humans creating AI to eliminate the humans , to reduce humans to nothing more than an appendix in the scheme of things which will have no function except becoming a point of pain !

Is it the thrill of creation or a high to believe that AI has the ability to make life simpler for Humans , is quite an irony because will humans exist then ? Elon Musk is already on his way to installing a chip in the brain to becoming super brains thereby making a Human a part human .
Why would I want to reduce myself to a part human ? to make daily chores easier ? It's a huge price to pay !
Humans have already started living at least 20 percent virtual lives , a life of isolation and we are wanting to make that 100 percent virtual ? How Human will the future Human be ?
A question my higher intelligence is asking ?

Our Khadi Collection is a CELEBRATION of the Human touch , handwoven by Human beings , which will soon be a rarity in the not so distant future !
Enjoy this Art while it is still there , you will tell your future children that Once upon a time Humans made clothes for other Humans and pass on these rare Heritage Khadis to them ! :))

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FASHION TRENDS 2016-17

Fashion Trends for 2016 India are going to be dictated by the youth who is a traveler , an entrepreneur , who is connected with her roots but exposed to the latest technical advancements and yet in a way leads a robotic lifestyle. She is the kind who is also open to experiments but knows the difference between absurdity and trendy !

No wonder fashion has to suit her lifestyle and experiences ! Keeping that in view , the cuts this year are going to be very straight , simple and stylish which have the ease and comfort of wearing. The traveler carries experiences and cultures from her travels so the look has some element of ethnic cultural influence but in a very chic stylish way!

With storage spaces becoming rare and managing multitasking lives even more difficult , the pieces are going to be such that they can be mixed and matched with different combinations to give a totally new look each time you adorn them.

We at Indie Cotton Route have created our new line which suits this Woman of Today !
Watch out for this space for our new collection COMING SOON !
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Looks Do Matter !

Have you ever been to a parlour and seen a lady dressed only in a robe and tried guessing what she does for a living or what kind of a person she is ? She kind of appears sans any character but the moment she is dressed in her normal clothes , it is as if a character has come alive ! You have already woven a story about her in seconds scanning her from top to bottom , about what kind of a person she is , what profession she is in , if she is rich and flamboyant , vain or an intellectual !

Isn't that interesting ? Do clothes and the way we dress up talk so much that isn't it ironical that we are more exposed to others with clothes than without ?
Would you be willing to put your trust in a guy wearing Pyjamas to fly a plane ? But the moment he is dressed in a Uniform ( might be a costume dress ) our mind is programmed to think that the guy is capable of delivering . Whoever thinks that taking care to dress up is a vain thing is just kidding himself ! A shabbily dressed man is totally judged to be shabby in his work too. Do think about this . You might not be getting the kind of job opportunities you think you deserve just because you have not been able to package yourself in the right wrapping paper !

And then there is the case of overdressing . This person is flashing brands from every pore of his body ! From a Christian  Dior goggles , jimmy choo shoes , Mk bag , latest I phone , diamond jewellery , the works ! The only thing not on display to their dismay is the price tag ! Such people are screaming (not literally though) from the top of their voices , Look I am not confident about what my style is but I am wearing what is  'The accepted.' They are saying , take me seriously because I am rich ! And I must say that this does work for most of them , they are speaking the truth !

And then there are also people who  defy all laws of nature and Mahatma Gandhi is one such person . He never looked like the Man who changed the destiny of India but then you have to be a Man or woman of extraordinary greatness to reach the levels 'Where Looks don't matter' !
Till then , for us Mortals 'Looks do matter' !:)
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All that Glitters is Gold !

Gold has fascinated the human race ever since it's discovery. Homer , in the 'Illiad' and 'Odyssey' mentions gold as the glory of the immortals and a sign of wealth among ordinary humans. No wonder that gold thread be used in creating garments which look Royal and Grand.

Gold embroidery was developed in Asia and has been used for at least 2000 years. It's use reached a remarkable level of skill in the middle ages when a style called Opus Anglicanum was developed in England and was used extensively in the Church decoratives. After this period it was used frequently on clothing and furnishings of the Royalty and Nobility.

Turquoise georgette kurta with Tilla/gold thread embroidery.

In India 'Tilla' or Gold thread embroidery can be traced back to the times when it was done by Jingarhs or the people who made horses reigns decorating them with Tilla embroidery. They also produced decorative banners for kings and Maharajas. Then later they got involved in making badges and emblems not only for the princely states but also the British army.

A black georgette kurta with Gold tilla and thread embroidery.

Tilla embroidery is used for decorating Juttis in Punjab. You can see beautiful gold thread embroidery on the shawls and Phirans of Kashmir !

A gold coloured kurta with gold thread embroidery on a black patti.

 

Thus the Love for Gold never grows old !

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Celebrating 69 years of Independence !

It is hot and humid inside the DDA office , an authority on Delhi Development ,works as slow as the the fan hanging above ! They work like the Delhi roads which are perpetually dug up which never get repaired but 'Work is always in Progress'.
We are looking for a Mr. Omprakash who is hiding behind mountains of files , looking extremely busy. Now to get across to Mr. Omprakash , we really have to do Om ka Jaap because everything else doesn't seem to work ! And no one dare annoy Mr. Om because he is the Almighty here !

Well , well , we have completed 69 years of independence , the magic number of compatibility , but actually far from it ! We complain , we crib but in the end , Please someone like Mr. Omprakash ?

This Independence Day , let us be true to our Flag !

The Saffron represents Strength and courage: have the strength and the courage to ask for clean drinking water , safe environment , goods roads , good garbage disposal and good governance !

The white represents peace : respect each one and their religion as all religions preach peace and not terrorism !

The green represents growth : Grow yourself to be an example for others!

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Chiffons , means Sensual !

It's raining cats and dogs outside but at home it is raining hot tea and pakodas ! Sipping my tea , enjoying the peacocks dance through my glass door , this is what I call luxury ! Time , is the most precious thing in life and how ironical , the so called richest people have the least of it !

A red floral chiffon kurta with dori embroidery.

In this wet and humid weather , you want the comfort of a light weight fabric which also dries very quickly and one such option is a 'mixed chiffon' fabric. Chiffon comes from the French word which means a cloth or rag. Chiffon was initially made from silk thread but after the introduction of polyester in 1958 , the polyester varieties of chiffon became very popular due to its durability and  economical viability.

A green printed chiffon kaftan.

Chiffon is a difficult fabric to work with because of it's slippery texture but has excellent drapability and its transparency gives the garment a touch of feminity. It is one fabric which can make you look slim without clinging to your body. It also gives the garment a very rich look.

A sunflower printed chiffon kurta with needle & thread hand embroidery on neck and sleeves.

One Indian actress who made Chiffon sarees and suits very popular was Sridevi in Chandni , Mr. India etc . She looked sensual in her songs wearing chiffons !
Chiffons come in plain colours , floral prints and ombre dyed too.

A printed chiffon dress.


It is best to hand wash chiffons in cold water .
So girls , charm your men with your mixed chiffon fabrics because its raining outside and you can have some activity at home !

 

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Phulkari , Garden of Flowers

This lady was sitting among hundreds of brightly coloured phulkari dupattas as if sitting in a garden full of flowers . She had a stall in Dilli Haat and had come from Patiala to sell these Phulkari dupattas hand embroidered by young girls from Punjab.

Phulkari literally means phul which means flower and kari means work. Phulkari played a very important role in a girl's life for her trousseau and festivals. It was not meant for sale and the completion of a phulkari dupatta represented the girl becoming a woman and she would then be ready for marriage. The embroideries were a reflection of their lives and thoughts. The motifs were inspired by their surroundings and each girl had her own way of expressing them. What an interesting way to let go of your emotions and making a beautiful creation as a by product ? The modern ways of letting go are quite the opposite ! I wonder sometimes have we actually progressed ?
Not much is known about how phulkari work started but it has been mentioned in the Punjabi folklore of Heer Ranjha . Generally the colours are bright and red, orange , yellow and pink are some of the favourite colours .

A phulkari is worn by the bride when she walks around the sacred fire , the first time when she goes out after giving birth to a child , important festivals and also when the woman dies she is covered with a phulkari.

I was so keen on getting phulkari work done on my fabrics that I handed over a lot of fabric to the lady from Patiala but I never heard from her after that. To this day whenever I go to Dilli Haat , my eyes wander looking for the lady sitting in a garden of Flowers.


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