‘Celebrating Handloom Day is not enough’

At his office in Indian Emporio in Begumpet, Gaurang Shah is busy taking calls while overseeing work. At another table, while one person is sketching the given design on a 6.5 meter-long sheet, two others are colouring them. “The sheets are being readied to be sent to the weavers,” says Gaurang.

As we sit down, Gaurang says, “For us, every day is handloom day. It’s our bread and butter.” Gaurang, who has become the face of the handloom industry thanks to his intricate weaves, has around 450-500 looms around the country. “In my village here I have about 120 looms. I don’t give the weavers work only now and then, they have work throughout the year.”

Celebrating Handloom Day isn’t enough, we have to create a business model like I have. The weavers are keen to take up their ancestral profession that has gained momentum in the fashion industry.”

Talking about how he started and the problems he faced, Gaurang says, “In the beginning, the weavers would just refuse my designs. I would have to coax them to say yes. A sari with a big border was something I introduced that the weavers didn’t agree to. But  now, every other person is making saris with big borders.”
He adds, “Today, it has become an experimental village. The weavers are willing to take new designs. They even work on fusion products like an ikkat and jamdani.”

With Handloom Day being celebrated, it is expected that the market will expand. Talking about the market scene, Gaurang says, “There was a time when no one knew about handloom products, especially in North India. The market is changing now and people know that handloom exists. Now, it’s time to take handloom global. I have a lot of international exhibitions lined up, some in Dubai and Nairobi too.  I’m also about to showcase handloom work at the Paris Fashion Week.