Speakers
Our Amazing Speakers
Iconic Fashion Guru of India
Prasad Bidapa
Prasad Bidapa
Iconic Fashion Guru of India
Prasad Bidapa is the pioneer in the Indian Fashion Industry since the last four decades. He is the Iconic Fashion Guru of India. An alumni of NID Ahmedabad, he is the creator of high-profile events like India Men’S Fashion Week, Colombo International Fashion Week, Kingfisher Fashion Awards & Mega Model Hunt.
A textile expert himself, he has presented the Rajasthan Heritage Week since 2015. This is a project he developed for the Khadi Board for the Government of Rajasthan. This is considered to be one of the most successful Khadi & Handloom revival projects in the country.
He has presented shows in the USA, Japan, Sweden, The Middle East, Singapore, Sri Lanka and other nations. In 2019, he presented the Mahatma Gandhi Sesquicentennial Show at the Embassy of India, Qatar.
We are currently working with various government departments to create similar handloom revival projects in various other Indian states. He works with national & international designers to present the products of India in handloomed cotton.
A Craft Revivalist
Rashmi Bharti
Rashmi Bharti
A craft revivalist
Rashmi has been working in the field of rural development for the past 34 years in India, in the states of Uttarakhand, Delhi and Orissa. She is a thought leader in establishing a dialogue on natural dyes, creating an eco system and connecting the farmers to the production of plant based dyes in Central Himalayas.
She was one of three global finalists for the prestigious St Andrews Prize for Environment for her work on Natural Dyes in 2022. She is a national awardee for the Nari Shakti award for Avani’s work with women’s empowerment. The award was presented by the Honorable President of India, Mr Ram Nath Kovind in March 2018.
Director of IICD Jaipur
Dr. Toolika Gupta
Dr. Toolika Gupta
Director of iicd, jaipur
Dr Toolika Gupta, the Director of the Indian Institute of Crafts and design, Jaipur since 2017, is a researcher, designer, author, educator and an academic administrator. After completing her Post Graduation from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University, she began her career as a designer in1996, joining academics at NIFT, New Delhi in 2005.
To follow her research interests, she resigned from NIFT to pursue her PhD at the University of Glasgow, UK, (2012-2016), while being a PhD fellow with the Center for Textile Research, (CTR), Denmark. Back in India, along with likeminded people she formed the Textiles and Clothing Research Center (TCRC), Delhi in 2016. Her research interests include Fashion and textile history, revival of Indian handicrafts and culture, craft cluster initiatives, and craft business incubation. She is on the Board of Studies of many design institutes, Secretary of TCRC and Dean, Design of Rajasthan ILD Skills University.
Abstract: Natural Dyeing
Experiments in dyeing Moonj grass with natural colours. Growing and working with Indigo, and creating a shade card of natural dyes at IICD as well as bringing elements from History that talk about India’s natural dyes.
Designer & researcher -Traditional Textiles
Bina Rao
Bina Rao
Designer & researcher -traditional textiles
Bina Rao is an Indian Designer, has Master’s in Fine Arts from MSU, Vadodara, and stint in Design, AEP program NID Ahmedabad. Practitioner & researcher in Traditional Textiles and Natural Dye. Co-founder and HOD Design of the Social Business in Hand made Fashion & Textile ‘Creative Bee’ and Creative Bee dye farm in Hyderabad.
Pioneer fashion label in Sustainable Fashion, International speaker, represented India at number of Global events with her ‘Walk through the Talk’ shows, member of advisory committees for hand looms and livelihood projects, Government of India. (ex)Member governing Council NID, Senior Consultant to United Nations East Africa Program, Team Leader, UNDP’s ‘Disha’ Pilot for Women Weavers of Telangana 2018-2020. Recipient of ‘Stalwart of Handloom award’ 2023 from FICCI and Government of Telangana. www.creativebee.in
Head, Lead, Faculty - NID
V. Sakthivel
V. Sakthivel
Head, lead faculty - nid
V. Sakthivel has been teaching Fibre and Yarn, Dyeing, Basic weaving and Introduction to Textiles courses at NID. Prior to joining the Faculty Development Programme at NID, Sakthivel finished his diploma in Handloom Technology (1994–97) and thereafter a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. His research interests include design for the handloom sector, indigenous Indian cotton, and natural indigo dyeing traditions.
Some of Sakthivel’s significant projects include Design Development for Khadi for KVIC, Mumbai (2001); Design Development for Coir and Natural Fibres for Coir Board, Kochi (2002–03); Design Development for Handloom Weavers in Andhra Pradesh, Department of Handlooms and Textiles, Government of Andhra Pradesh (2003–05); and Documentation of Textile Traditions of the North East – Meghalaya, 2011-2015 and Manipur 2014-17. He presented papers on Indigo dyeing, cotton diversity in India, Handloom varieties, Hand practice as source of sustaining and transfer systems of knowledge.
Fashion Consultant
Sonali Raman
Sonali Raman
Fashion consultant
Sonali’s journey into fashion started even before she hit double digits, designing miniature apparel for her collection of Barbies. By her late teens, she was creating full-sized apparel using her mother’s pedal sewing machine. She inherited her love for natural fabrics from her grandfather, who always wore khadi, and her mother, who wore natural cottons and lush silks all her life. Her passion for all things traditional is inherited from her parents, who had a fine sense of aesthetics.
With a degree in Fine Arts and a post-graduation in Fashion from NIFT, India, Sonali began her career with a fashion-buying house in India representing European retail brands, sourcing textiles, developing sample lines, and finding the right sources to manufacture them. She continued to follow her passion to design and launch limited collections during this time.
After working for 20 years in India, she moved to Doha, State of Qatar, where she worked as a Retail Buyer, buying worldwide from several brands spanning women’s wear, menswear, kids’ wear, and home décor for stores in Doha.
Simultaneously she served as a Fashion Consultant on several prestigious design projects related to fashion and garments, like the Qatar Armed Forces Military Uniforms Project. She has also covered fashion trends for magazines like Glam and Woman Today, published in Doha.
Sonali launched her own fashion brand in November 2014. Her love for natural fabrics and the desire to sustain dying crafts and textile traditions of India became the cornerstone of her brand.
SR by Sonali Raman carries a line of fashion jewelry handcrafted, using traditional craft techniques in contemporary designs. The line of fashion ready-to-wear is a blend of modern silhouettes with natural fabrics and traditional embroidery techniques. The brand contemporizes traditional crafts both in jewelry and apparel, thereby creating a new aesthetic for modern times.
She works directly with craft persons and artisans, often upskilling and re-training them. She sources her natural textiles directly from weavers, thereby supporting them in getting a fair price for their weaves and helping to keep the looms running.
Sonali is Faculty in the Fashion Department of VCUarts, Qatar, teaching Fashion &. Merchandising to undergraduate students since 2009.
While she champions the cause of slow, sustainable fashion through her brand and collections, she also actively collaborates with organizations that promote sustainable fashion and conscious consumption.
Co-Founder, ColorAshramFoundation
Namrata Bhutoria
Namrata Bhutoria
Co-Founder Colorashram foundation
Namrata Bhutoria, the visionary co-founder of ColorAshram Foundation, and the driving force behind the natural dyed clothing label – Biome Conscious Fashion, is a staunch advocate for the transformative power of natural dyes. With a conviction that true innovation in this realm requires a blend of technical prowess, connection with people, and conscious intent, she has carved her niche in the sustainable fashion landscape.
ColorAshram Foundation, under her guidance, stands as a beacon of enlightenment, offering comprehensive training, expert consultancy, standardized dyes, and meticulous processes tailored to all scales of application. Emblemized by the symbol of water, ColorAshram’s ethos embodies purity and sustainability.
BiomeConsciousFashion, Namrata’s brainchild, is more than a clothing line. It’s a testament to affordable and sustainable fashion. Namrata’s ardor for combating water pollution finds expression in her mission to disseminate the art of natural dye application across the textile spectrum, from industry to education. Her co-founder, Arun Baid, a luminary with two patents and over two decades of industrial natural dyeing innovation, complements her journey impeccably.
Emeritus Scientist, ICAR
Dr. A. Sarada Devi
Dr. A.Sarada Devi
Emeritus scientist - icar
Dr. A. Sarada Devi was the former Dean of Home science in Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University and also as Emeritus Scientist of Indian Council of Agricultural research. From the family of farmers, she is an ardent lover of nature. Her first research on utilization of polyethylene waste to make a bonded fabric for collars and various other end uses helped her to receive a Gold medal in PG from the University of Madras.
● She was awarded on competitive basis and led two consortia entitled ‘A value chain in Natural dyes’ as CPI & e-courseware in Home Science as Associate PI with a total funding of Rs 7.82 crores under the World Bank sponsored ICAR’s National Agricultural Innovation projects
● The research and development contributions accomplished through the consortium mode.
● Received ICAR appreciation award for best NAIP project – A Value Chain in Natural Dyes
● As the technical coordinator for Home Science– Textiles & Clothing under ICAR system for 9 Agricultural Universities, planned, executed and monitored projects related to natural fibres, dyes, geo-textiles and enterprise development for two plan period.
● Received Chowdhary Devi Lal Outstanding AICRP Award of ICAR for the year 2003
● Established natural dye paint incubation centre with a capacity of 5 tonnes per day at PJTSAU in collaboration with Pollution Control Board
● Received Professional Excellence Award from CRDA under ICAR for teaching and research contributions in January 2020.
● Received Best Teacher Award of the State of Andhra Pradesh and also Meritorious Techers’ Award of the University
● Instrumental in establishing Millet Agribusiness incubation Centre for empowering the farmers and entrepreneurs and popularized through an innovative Millet mela.
Textile Entrepreneur/Consultant on Natural Dyes
Jagada Rajappa
Jagada Rajappa
Textile entrepreneur/consultant on natural dyes
Jagada Rajappa is an independent textile entrepreneur/consultant on natural dyes. She has worked with weavers, printers and dyers from many parts of India as well as internationally since 1984 on multiple aspects of natural dyes with emphasis in the art of traditional indigo dyeing. Her expertise is in using different mediums for natural dyeing such as textiles, wood paintings and lacquering.
Her extensive work done with craftsmen on the revival, resurgence and knowledge transfer of traditional indigo dyeing and its adaptations on various textile techniques along with the ongoing training has helped bring indigo production continuously to the main stream of life. In addition, this has helped artisans improve their standard of living and ensured that their craft thrives for future generations.
She is the recipient of multiple awards in recognition of her contributions to field of handloom and textiles.
Free Consultant, Gandhigram
Swaminathan
Swaminathan
free consultant, gandhigram
Swaminathan started his career with a post graduation in Biotechnology and Post M.Sc., in Molecular Diagnostics from DBT. He was doing his PhD in cancer biology for 2 yrs, during that period he realised, that the excess use of agro chemicals, in the past decades, was also one of the reasons for the drastic increase in the incidence of Cancer. He discontinued the Phd and became an advocate for indigenous seeds & organic farming practices, since 2012.
From 2015 he has been working with farmers in the rain-fed tracts of Dindigul district of Tamilnadu, in promoting the indigenous cotton based multi cropping system, where he is working in sorting out the bottlenecks in the old world cotton value chain and also experiments on the various range of fabrics that can be made out of the indigenous desi cotton, along with handloom weavers. He is also working on decentralised cotton processing, which he believes will be viable option for generating rural livelihood.
He is also a freelance consultant with Ghandhigram
Professor (Forestry), TN Agricultural University
Dr. Kumaran
Dr. Kumaran
professor (forestry), tn agricultural university
Dr. K.Kumaran, Professor (Forestry), is a forest geneticist and breeder, working on on promotion of Neem for biopesticide since 1989 and natural dyes since 2008, initially with Annatto and later on many species; particularly on natural dyes forest wastes and weeds. He established an arboretum with a collection of 264 tree species (assembled family wise following Benthem and Hooker classification), which is a learning platform for many including school and college children, local public and researchers. He has >130 research publications in peer reviewed journals.
Contributions in Natural Dyes
His journey in natural dyes started in 2008 with an accidental research project on the genetic improvement of Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) funded by DST to understand its commercial potential and screened more than 150 genotypes for higher Bixin content, leading to the identification of 54 genotypes with increased seed yield (> 2.00kg seeds per tree) with high Bixin content (>3%). So far, he has obtained 4 externally funded research projects in Annatto funded by DST, NADP and State Planning Commission (under TANII). He has established dye extraction and testing lab and standardized dye extraction protocol for a few dye yielding tree species. He has also designed and established an Automated Aqueous cum Solvent Dye Extraction Unit, which is first of its kind in the country. The model dye park established over an area of 40 acres with dye yielding species was one of his professional contributions.
He is the founder of Consortium of Natural Dyes (CNAD, which was launched on 25.10.2021 @ FC&RI, Mettupalayam based on the outcome two workshops conducted by him to bring all the stakeholders of natural dyes together on a single platform, which is the outcome of the TANII project. There are 58 members in the Consortium at present. The Consortium supplies raw materials, dye extracts and other dye products to the dyers. CNAD also conducts regular and customized capacity building programs in natural dyes. It also helps members to get the govt grants for natural dyes; one such grant of Rs.50 lakhs from BIRAC (DBT) was obtained by Mr.Rajarajan, Natural Dye House, Erode and a member of CNAD. Another major mandate of the CNAD to support farmers in cultivating natural dye yielding species.
He has also drafted the Policy Guidelines for Natural Dyes with inputs from all the members of the CNAD and submitted the same to Govt of India and the related ministries.
Head of Lady Bamford Foundation, Nila House
Anuradha Singh
Anuradha Singh
head of lady bamford foundation, nila house
Anuradha Singh is the Head of Lady Bamford Foundation and the Project Director of NilaHOUSE – an organisation that sits at the intersection of craft, design, sustainability and community empowerment. A ground-breaking non-profit initiative, Nila is unique worldwide in its scope, encompassing all stages of the Indian craft value chain. The project is a charitable organisation supported by JCB India. Nila House is based in Jaipur and is a centre of craft and cultural excellence in Jaipur.
Anuradha has been at the helm of Nila from its foundation, bringing an energetic leadership that has guided Nila to grow into one of India’s most compelling spaces and initiatives for conversation and action around value chain sustainability, craft preservation and design innovation. Nila currently works with a vast network of makers across the world, often acting as the conduit between international designers and highly skilled Indian artisans to bring lasting solutions and beautiful design to the craft and textile space.
Anuradha’s nuanced understanding of the power of craft and heritage as an agent for social and economic development has been informed by her two decades of experience in the heritage and cultural development sectors. She was previously the Additional Director at the Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, to which she brought landmark programmes including the first edition of the Indian Ceramics Triennale and the exhibition “New Traditions: Influences & Inspirations in Indian Textiles, 1947 – 2017”. She played a vital role as a member of the core founding team for the Jaipur Virasat Foundation, an organization deeply involved in preserving the cultural heritage of Rajasthan. She was instrumental in spearheading the Jaipur Heritage International Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, and Jodhpur Riff during her tenure at JVF.
Anuradha Singh’s career is a testament to her commitment to preserving and advancing cultural heritage. Her leadership, innovation, and dedication have significantly impacted the culture and craft sector, fostering its growth and global recognition. As an advocate for institution-building and good art practices in India, she stands as an inspirational figure in the pursuit of excellence in the cultural and craft landscape.
State President Of J&K Handloom council
Sweety Kalita
Sweety Kalita
state president of J&K handloom council
Sweety Kalita, State President Of Jammu and Kashmir Handloom council(WICCI). I take this opportunity to introduce myself as a business enthusiast and a handloom exporter. I am working with many rural clusters and skilled artisans to forge and intensify the earning capabilities of handloom artisans across different ethnic communities in North-East India as well as Kashmir India without endangering the preservation of our rich heritage of artistic weaving. In my journey of two years as a handloom and textile exporter , I have worked in design studios, for exporters and manufacturer during my college days. Now I owned a handloom company called Dawn Exim . My work ecompasses engaging with the different ethnic cultural communities to preserve their rich heritage of artistic handloom weaving and handwork.
In a short period of my journey I have been awarded Asias’s top 30 young entrepreneur award 2021, Women leadership Award (young entrepreneur)2022 by ZEE NEWS, Women of substance network 2022 in the category of young entrepreneur by Ican Foundation and she Inspires Magazine.
Founder - Expressions by UV
Varsha Savla
Varsha Savla
founder expressions by uv
I was born in Pipariya and grew up in a joint family. I inherited craft love from my Granny, who was an heirloom connoisseur. I always loved fashion and science, but it wasn’t until I was studying medicine that I realized my true calling is Fashion. I went to Mumbai and completed my fashion diploma. After college, I worked in factories as a freelance designer. I have ten years of work experience as a head designer in various export firms in Mumbai.
In 2007, when I became a mom for the first time, I took a break to enjoy parenthood. I founded UV Creations in 2015, where we focused on personal styling. I realized that a 30% of fabric goes to waste while producing different styles. I took up a project and created 100 bags with that waste material. This project sparked the Idea of building a zero-waste fashion label. ‘Expressions By UV’ was pre-incubated at IIM Banglore WSP program at the ideation stage and in Nov.-2018 we launched it.”Expressions by UV” was born out of the core belief that fashion is the best language to express our love for Planet, people, and culture. We offer sustainable fashion that preserves the heritage and cultural crafts while creating harmonious relationships between ancient traditions and modern sensibilities and not compromising with the environment.
We were lucky to get the opportunity to showcase our collection at the Milan fashion week expo 2019. We were lucky to get featured in Vogue Italy 2020 and The Explorer. Our work got recognition with 1000 faces of Asia 2021 and the Top 100 Indian prime Women Icon award 2022.
Founder & Owner - Halodhiya Sorai
Bhaswati Phukon
Bhaswati Phukon
FOUNDER & OWNER - HALODHIYA SORAI
For almost 10 years working as an HR, in a reputed MNC in Bengaluru and Delhi, Bhaswati Phukon, had made a name for herself. She often donned these beautiful garments to her workplace and corporate events, and her colleagues were always left in awe of their intricate designs and motifs.
Bhaswati’s colleagues were fascinated by her traditional Assamese attire and expressed their admiration for it. However, they were hesitant to wear it themselves due to the complexity of draping the Mekhela Chador. Bhaswati, being the enterprising individual she is, saw an opportunity to create something that could fuse the beauty of the Mekhela Chador with the ease and wearability of a saree. This was when the idea of Halodhiya Sorai was born.
Halodhiya Sorai was Bhaswati’s passion project, and she poured all her heart and soul into it. Bhaswati’s vision was to create sarees that incorporated the traditional look and fabric of the Mekhela Chador. She fused ‘Mekhela Chador’ with a saree making it a regular, wearable sari in workplaces.
Designer. 2Up 2Down
Namrata J Shah
Namrata Shah
designer 2up 2down
Namrata Shah, born in Hyderabad and travelled all through her academic years with her family, it was in 1998, she moved to Bangalore. With her strong interest in art and craft passed on from her Mother and Grand-father (a connoisseur in antique and real stone jewellery for the Nizams in Hyderabad), she studied textile design from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology Bangalore, in the year 2002. With a 4 year specialisation in textile design, she completed her final graduation project in Bangladesh, focusing on developing hand-woven textiles using Jute blend yarns. Soon after she visited Bangladesh, as an consultant, over the next 3-4 years to design hand-woven fabrics in interesting composition and patterns for an NGO.
It was in December 2010, Namrata established 2Up 2Down, a all women craft based design brand, specialising in unique handcrafted textiles in techniques of Hand-embroidery, Eco-print, Shibori and hand-wovens.
ACHIEVEMENTS
In 2010, was awarded the ‘Young Creative Entrepreneur Award 2010’- India, British Council (Runner Up), as well as featured on ‘Young turks’ CNBC TV-18 in 2010 for our achievements.
ICAR - Textile Technologist
Naushad Ali
Naushad Ali
CEO & Creative Director at Naushad Ali
Influenced by the mix of cultures that the country has to offer in terms of music, art, literature, and textile, Naushad Ali also takes inspiration from Pondicherry where Tamil and French cultures go hand in hand.
The signatures of the brand are its use of heritage fabrics with attention to detail, its minimal and modern tailoring, and its small-batch production mindset. Since its launch in 2015, Naushad Ali has been dedicated entirely to working with artisans in India and focusing on their traditional techniques
Awarded the Grazia Magazine’s Young Sustainable Designer of the Year in 2016,
followed by Elle India’s Sustainable Designer of the Year in 2019. Naushad Ali was shortlisted to represent India in the International Fashion Showcase (IFS) in London, 2019.
Founder, Aasmani
Arundhati Maitra
Arundhati Maitra
founder aasmani
The passion for textiles and craft made Arundhati switch to a career in textile design and production.
A Master’s in German Language from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Arundhati spent more than 25 years in the Corporate sector. But her calling lay elsewhere. The love for sarees, combined with her love for all things natural drew her to the textile sector. In 2018 Aasmani By Arundhati was formed – an organisation that works directly with skilled handloom weavers and artisans in Bardhhaman and Nadia districts of West Bengal. At Aasmani the focus is on the fabric, the technique and the craft in general. Arundhati loves working with natural dyes, and has attended a natural dyeing workshop too. She is closely associated with Sutra Textile Studies – a not for profit organisation that aims to raise awareness of handlooms and crafts of India.
Right at the centre of Aasmani’s existence lies the handwoven jamdani – the heart and soul of Aasmani. Though Arundhati has been working with other handloom forms like Baluchari, jamdani remains her first love. Aasmani By Arundhati holds a Craftmark certification for jamdani weaving. They are present online and ship all over the world.
Brand Founder ‘Mann Craft’
Prach Niyomkar
Prach Niyomkar
brand founder, 'mann craft'
Man’s Gardens Creative Crafts Center in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand
Prach works in environmental friendly textile, especially indigo dyeing and natural plant dyeing by using his own grown raw materials and local ingredients in Sakon Nakhon province such as natural indigo. leaves, flowers, muddy soil It is created with various techniques as a work of art on the fabric of the brand. ‘Mann Craft’ is based on the concept of wearable art, with most of the works inspired by the seasons, nature and environment around him at different times. Natural colors are also used to create various techniques together with materials such as paper, leather, pottery, wood and various kinds of fibers. He has participated in arts and crafts exhibitions both in Thailand and abroad such as in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Scotland, England, Italy etc.
He is a special lecturer on environmentally friendly textile and dye arts and crafts both domestically and internationally, as well as established the ‘Man’s Gardens Creative Crafts Center’ in Sakon Nakhon province in Thailand to create understanding, inspiring and wanting to communicate various arts and crafts that come from local wisdom created together with knowledge from various areas by using natural raw materials in the production process and environmentally friendly concepts.
MD, Khadi Oaxaca
Margaret MacSems
Margaret MacSems
md, khadi oaxaca
Margaret MacSems is originally from California, USA. Her social-environmental work began in 1995, integrating homeless youth with gardens in Seattle. In 2001 she studied Ecological Agriculture and thereafter earned her master’s degree in International Agricultural Development at the University of California Davis. After doing field work in Oaxaca, Mexico (2006) she decided to relocate there to work on soil conservation with indigenous farmers. In 2011 the work grew to include the conservation of native, colored cottons and co-founding an indigenous textile collective, which spins and weaves this cotton on the coast of Oaxaca.
In 2017, Margaret joined the Khadi Oaxaca textile collective in the mountains of Oaxaca, where this native cotton is also hand spun and hand woven. Here, she is instrumental in administration, business development and sustainable production, primarily focused on cotton. Her favorite pastime is dyeing with plants that grow in her garden and the surrounding hillsides.
Senior Researcher at the French National Centre
Dr. Dominique Cardon
Dr. Dominique Cardon
sr. researcher, french national centre
Dr. Dominique Cardon is Emerita Senior Researcher at the French National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS), research unit CIHAM/UMR 5648, Lyons. Her permanent research themes are the history and archaeology of textile production and dyeing with natural colorants. She has published archaeological textiles from Europe, Egypt and Central Asia, from Neolithic and Bronze Ages to Medieval Ages, including dye analyses, and written reference books and articles on natural dyes from all parts of the world, in English and French. As Scientific Director of International Symposiums on Natural Dyes in India, South Korea, France, Madagascar and China, she has been awarded the Silver Medal of CNRS in 2011, the UNESCO Medal “Thinking and Building Peace” in 2006 and was made Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in France and Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts, des Lettres et de la Culture of Madagascar for her contributions to research into natural dyes and textile history and archaeology.
Highly Acclaimed Malaysian designer
Edric Ong
Edric Ong
Highly acclaimed malaysian designer
Edric Ong is a multi-awarded Malaysian designer of natural dye textiles, fashion and crafts. He is the Advisor and Immediate Past President of Society Atelier Sarawak, the Arts and Crafts Society of Sarawak in East Malaysia.
He is President of the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA), an organization that administers the UNESCO-AHPADA Craft Seal of Excellence since 2000. He is Advisor and Honorary Member of World Crafts Council Asia Pacific, and Honorary Member of World Crafts Council International.
An architect by training, he is author of several books eg. Sarawak Style, Pua-Kumbu-Iban Textiles; Woven Dreams-Ikat Textiles of Sarawak. He is Founder of the World Eco-Fiber and Textile (WEFT) Network set up to further the cause of natural fibers and dyes; and Convener of the Biennial WEFT Forum since 1999. He is a curator of many exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Australia, Japan, India, France, Sweden, United Kingdom and USA.
Artisan & Craft Designer, Indonesia
Myra Widiono
Myra Widiono
artisan & craft designer, indonesia
Myra Widiono Nationality: Indonesian. Education: MSc Architecture Planning, UCL – UK, 1989
Professional Summary: Myra Widiono is an accomplished professional with expertise in architecture, art, craft, and culture. She has made significant contributions to the field of traditional textiles and natural fiber (Curculigolatifolia) particularly in the areas of conservation, development, and eco-fashion. With her and a passion for promoting Indonesian heritage, Myra has played a pivotal role in various organizations and initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting traditional crafts.
Field Experiences: Myra has primarily been carried out her programmes in East and West Kalimantan, Bali, NTT ( East Sumba, TTS, Sikka) , North and South Sumatra. She has been actively involved in capacity building, empowering local communities. With dedication, and passion for preserving traditional crafts, Myra continues to make a significant impact in the field of art, craft, and culture in Indonesia and beyond.
Fashion Design Consultant
Carmen Artigas
Carmen Artigas
Sustainable / Circular Fashion Design Consultant
Carmen specializes in integrating ethical practices within the fashion industry. With over 20 years of design experience working with brands from high-end to mass-market such as Donna Karan, Coach, Kate Spade, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart, Carmen has become an expert at anticipating challenges in the marketplace. Currently, she advises start-ups, established brands and trade organizations interested in improving their sourcing, manufacturing and labor practices. Her goal is to help build resilient businesses, while minimizing their human and environmental impact.
In 2010 she spearheaded the sustainable design curricula and undergraduate programs at three major design universities: Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons the New School for Design, and Pratt Institute.
Lead Mentor, Save The Loom Org.
Ramesh Menon
Ramesh Menon
Lead mentor, save the loom org.
Ramesh Menon, is an industry veteran with over 2 decades of experience across media, entertainment, events and fashion industry. From being a journalist, to aviation consultant, to launching multiple talent platforms, and lastly managing the country’s premier fashion events including India Fashion Week and India Couture Week for the Fashion Design Council of India for nearly a decade, he has strived to establish pathbreaking initiatives. Ramesh has mentored many young talents in fashion and entertainment.
In 2018 soon after Kerala floods, when stranded in Kerala, he chose to stay back and work towards reviving the flood ravaged craft clusters in Ernakulam district. Save The Loom organization, that he setup, has since not only worked actively to restore and revive the affected handloom and khadi units, but is working on long term plans to reform the ailing sectors.
Save The Loom, is the sole social agency to win an award by the District Administration for its efforts in resource management and reviving the craft cluster in record time post the floods, and also was awarded ‘Champion of Crafts’ at India Craft Week 2019/20. Ramesh’s effort also won him the Rotary ‘Icon of Individual Social Responsibility’ award.
Save The Loom collaborates with various stakeholders within the design and craft sector to find newer mediums and spaces to take forward the narrative of handmade. To this end, it also runs a concept design studio – One Zero Eight in Fort Kochi, that brings the finest handmade labels from across the country under one roof.
A philanthropist, he also runs a foundation with Academy Award winner Resul Pookutty that focusses on education, healthcare and social welfare. Ramesh has amongst many inspirational protegees guided and mentored India’s brightest young talent to make a mark on the global fashion map.
WICCI National Handloom Council – is a federation that aims to organise, promote, revive and uplift
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