Slow Luxury, Real Impact: The Aadyam Handwoven Story

What does “slow luxury” truly mean in today’s fast fashion economy?

Slow luxury can be seen at its two ends of consumption and creation. Today’s evolved customer who has had immense exposure and has seen the best of products across the globe is valuing and developing an aesthetic and discernment towards exclusivity and innovation but in a rooted indigenous product that speaks to them. Heirloom and heritage become key value indicators and this organically leads to mindful consumption.

On the other hand slow, mindful, conscious, handmade and nature friendly product creation is gaining momentum as the demand for ethical story driven products is emerging and the creators who have always existed are finding a new interest in their wares. This is a positive trend for true luxury to emerge where source, handmade quality and authenticity will be prime.

How does KonkonaSen Sharma embody Aadyam’s philosophy beyond just being a face?

The brand Aadyam Handwoven has its heart in the right place. It is about Impact first and then commerce. We take pride in the fact that we engage with weavers across India to improve and challenge their skills and in the process develop and improve their livelihoods. A face for us has to have the same passion and ingenuity we believe in. Konkona with her cultural upbringing and innate passion for handcrafted and indigenously Indian ethos speaks the same language without trying hard.

This spontaneity and authenticity is what makes this partnership valuable. It is our cause and her being a true patron of it is what brings true meaning to this collaboration. More over her inherent style be it her choice of clothing or home interiors , reflects the essence of what we intended to create for a contemporary customer rooted in heritage. Seeking new yet unique and with a legacy.

Can craft-led fashion scale without losing its authenticity?

Craft led fashion is a beautiful term which defines the modern relevance in craft. If craft can be used mindfully and interpreted and understood to walk along fashion trends it creates a win-win for both industries. For us scale has always meant width over depth. The uniqueness and inherent nature of handloom is never about “more of the same.” It is about creating exclusive and distinct and unique products like works of art.

We encourage our patrons to fall in love with the craft , its technique, its nuances which then opens a full pandora box of treasures. When we define scale we define number of weavers partnered , engaged and added. So as we move every year to add more clusters to our existing clusters of Bhuj , Varanasi, Pochampally, Gadwal and Kashmir amongst others we slowly and organically achieve scale. With more hands creating with us.

What makes Aadyam’s celebrity collaborations feel more cultural than commercial?

It is kind of you to feel that way. But truly like I said earlier our choice of celebrity is never about their popularity and likes and followers. Instead it is always about their relevance , understanding of our philosophy and purpose and meaningful interaction. We want passion , genuineness and talk from the heart to bring spotlight to our efforts and impact on livelihood.

It would be unfair to our artisans if we were to not keep them central to the promotion. A face for us reflects our cultural identity. We as a brand have taken up the task of owning #culturebeyondtextiles under which we celebrate India , its art forms , its cinema , its literature and the creators . We walk along to create a cultural impact and awareness. It is the storytelling around textiles, its origins , its influences and ecosystem.

How do you position handwoven textiles as investment pieces for modern wardrobes?

Most of the textiles we work with today are losing their intricacies and skill set every day. There is a quiet degeneration at work. Be it distortion , be it simplification in the name of modernity or just lack of inspiration and motivation to create exquisite. It is unfortunately all being equated to money and the realm of art and skill is being grossly misused with “more is more” vs “less is more” which truly defined Indian maximalism.

We truly believe that we are creating #heirloomsforthefuture and therefore whenever I speak to a customer I always emphasis on the fact that what they are buying will get rare and distinguished sooner than we know. I see it truly an investment towards creating a repository of valuable textiles for today and future. A true connoisseur knows it and thankfully values it in our products. We also conduct textile appreciation events and showcase old and new under the property called Pracheen where our audience gets to see the evolution of craft.

Is Aadyam building a fashion brand or a larger cultural movement? and why

Aadyam is building a brand that speaks to a cultural enthusiast or a cultural connoisseur. The reason is that textile is not just a material but it’s the storytelling around it. It’s an interpretation of a life of a weaver , his village, his music, his nature and his architectural surroundings.

It is not in isolation and therefore a true appreciation is in seeing its cultural context. Therefore it comes naturally to us to build it in its entirety and hence I really value it when you see us as a larger cultural movement. Our small genuine efforts towards it are creating this community that wishes to walk with us. Gratitude.