On November 29th, 2023 Sonam Dubal was awarded “Forces of Fashion” by Vogue for his incredible contribution to the Indian Fashion Industry in Mumbai.
THE GOLDEN THREAD (Forces of Fashion)
Everything starts with an idea, a chance that things may just change was a belief that kept me going from the age of thirteen as I understood that I only had myself to believe in. As a silent child much like the boy from “Fanny and Alexander” (Ingmar Bergman) I found my voice between nature amongst the flowers that circled my favorite koi pond in the garden that had both golden and silver carp with buzzing iridescent dragon flies that watched me as I read my book lying on the grass.
Growing up amongst the verdant Tea estates that bordered forests around Assam and the Dooars as a child, then living by the Teesta river in Rangpo, Sikkim always infused in me a natural love for the sounds of nature. This orchestra of sounds with the maze of colorings always stayed within me as I started my real journey into the city first through college in Calcutta (those days) and then New Delhi when I joined N.I.F.T. finishing in 1990.
There was a pause, as I ran away to Paris as soon as I finished working with the great vanguard of Indian fashion, Rohit Khosla, there for a while and around the world observing but also journeying to the interiors of our amazing diverse country by train as I delved within taking its course, searching for myself evolving organically a language of design learning the Arts, of Textiles, working with crafts, styling and understanding the deeper stories of indigenous textiles and weaving. (The world around was also changing with globalization in many ways democratizing fashion and Art and films through social media).
My design work erupted from my coming to terms with my mixed cultural heritage added with my openness to people and everything around observing with intuition. These changes around allowed me space to find a voice, a signature style of blending both Indian and Tibetan / Sikkimese styling through my Indo Asian shapes yet assimilating the essence of the most sustainable North Eastern textile mainly “ Eri silk” with vintage Benaras brocades and Upcycled Ikat silks with Velvet embroideries that woven into stories of travelers of the silk route much like Marco Polo, from the occidental to the oriental world. Australia to Africa through Tibet within echoes of a nomad. Balancing always an innate sense of glamour with an aesthetic of silence from living between worlds one absorbed influence from films, theater, colorings of life and books that deeply stained me to think otherwise.
Year after year much like a disciplined scholar I put my work out at India fashion weeks 2003 onwards evolving themes, studying historical linkages and weaves and embroideries that induced world fashion which slowly got me into the train of –“ Slow fashion” much before it became a trend that naturally tied up to my Buddhist heritage and soon was invited to participate to the Eco fashion week in 20016 /17 for the first time in Vancouver, Canada where we opened ”Maison Sanskar” with my Representative Anthropologist, Gail Percy .
The last years between and after Covid have been meditatively quiet and yet I found film through “Shakuntala Devi” with Vidya Balan in 2020 and a new venture that may be out by 2024 and wonderful collaborations with Widows of Vrindhavan, Maitri and indigenous weavers of ANT in Assam.
Somewhere going backwards to the beginnings of this journey is the amazing collaboration and launch of “The Himalayan knot” with Royal Enfield co creating with the weavers and working with crafts at the grass root level in Bongai gaon in Assam at A.N.T (Action North East Trust) creating a capsule line in” Eri silk” Menswear exclusively which was a great success story recently launched in Mumbai.
The “Forces of Fashion” award by “Vogue” in recognition of my incredible contribution to the Indian Fashion Industry on the 29th of November 2023 in Mumbai, has been overwhelming and deeply humbling as I dedicate this award to the young people in the hills of the North east, to believe in their dreams, my eclectic friends and family and beautiful loyal Patrons through the years that have believed in our journey together and especially to those that have been there always rooting and supporting my work through these last difficult years, with a special shout out to store “Amethyst” in Chennai and wonderful Pondicherry finding home.
“For Home is not where you were born; home is where all your attempts to escape cease” Naguib Mahfouz.
Sonam Dubal graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi in 1990. He launched his signature line Sanskar in 1999.
His label is a vanguard experiment in revitalizing and redefining traditional Indo-Asian silhouettes with sensitivity, a guiding principle and foundation for the evolving collections that blend cultures; recreating stories from the past into the future.
It was his 2003 debut runway collection at the Lakme India Fashion Week where he combined Eri (Ahimsa) silk from Assam and Khadi cotton handloom weaves and traditional hand block prints that caught the eye of L’eclaireur, Paris. This was the beginning of Sanskar’s journey into the world.
Sanskar is a Twenty three year odyssey of design interpretation inspired by his Buddhist heritage and diverse background, Asian motifs, symbols and cultural studies becoming an important part of the research for every collection. These collections seek to reconcile modern influences and traditional creativity through storytelling in his embroidered jackets, wraps, coats and hand painted capes. Upcycled vintage silks in brocade and Ikat mix with velvet, silk and handloom cotton, Eri silk, Khadi and wool in textural play to create a sustainable canvas.
In 2006, he was invited to show at the Rosemount Australian Fashion week in Melbourne. It was the same year that Dubal was named in the Top 50 Achievers in Global Mainstream Media, Fashion category, by the University of Leicester Law School, UK, following his being awarded the Elle Global Award for fashion in 2007.
In 2016 Dubal was the first Indian designer to show at the Vancouver Eco fashion week. Following its success “Maison Sanskar”, – A textile Art and fashion gallery was set up in Vancouver by Representative Renowned Anthropologist Gail Percy.
The label Sanskar by Sonam Dubal has retailed across many multi designer stores in India including Ogaan to Bungalow Eight with a special mention of Amethyst in Chennai and Pondicherry .
Internationally the label has also journeyed through many eclectic stores in Paris, London, New York and Tokyo. Sanskar by Sonam Dubal, has held exhibitions at” The Asia Society Museum” Store in New York City from 2011 onwards to the latest being 2019.
Eclectic women across various walks of life have always inspired his work and have played an important role in influencing his work through the years.
His label Sanskar, has been endorsed by many patrons including documentary filmmaker Leslie Cockburn, Philanthropist and famous model Nena Thurman, Natascha Weir ( wife of guitarist from Rock group “The Grateful Dead”, Bob Weir ) In India Film director Shonali Bose , journalists and writerMadhu Trehan and Artist Mithu Sen, Bollywood actresses- Konkona Sen , Tabu, Manisha Koirala, Malavika Tiwari and now Vidya Balan also joins this august group , who graced his embroidered sari for biopic ‘Shakuntala Devi” in 2020 .
It was in 2016 and 2017 that Global icon and International Italian actress Isabella Rossellini – took to wearing his coats and embroidered jackets for her big Hollywood venture 10-part Hulu TV series, “Shut eye”.
Taking forward his Buddhist heritage of mindful creation in the year 2013 “ Tsutra” evolved as a collaborative label with N.G.O. craft organization Sasha in Kolkata with the support of founder Roopa Mehta.
Since the years of Covid, Sanskar has also been collaborating with founder Winnie Singh “ Maitri ” N.G.O. that provides shelter and medical programs for Widows of Vrindhavan.
Price Range: Rs.9,500/- onwards
