Think of calligraphy and it reminds one of beautiful inscriptions on ancient monuments. Well, the art of fine writing has made a transition — it’s now knocking on fashion’s door.
Designer Sonam Dubbal has a penchant for exploring calligraphy and re-inventing it through his creations.
“I have been dabbling in calligraphy since 2003. Calligraphy has a beauty of its own. Stylishly created letters that perhaps tell a story, quite fascinating indeed,” he reasons.
Elaborating on the art, he says, “Contrary to popular perception, calligraphy is not restricted to Arabic language. You can find them in Pali, Sanskrit and Japanese too. I have used Tibetan calligraphy in my latest collection. Relying on natural silk and natural form of printing, the collection explores the richness of black as the base, juxtaposed with printed letters in gold giving it a very metaphysical appearance.”
Puneet Nanda, head designer of Satya Paul, aptly describes calligraphy as “visual poetry.” He says, “Calligraphy is a mainstay of the Satya Paul look and it always manages to sneak into a Satya Paul creation, be it the Cosmic Dance or the Addvai collection.”
Designer Ayan Sarkar too endorses the blending of medieval form and contemporary style. He feels, “Language has a beautiful effect, even in typographical silence. While a handful of designers remain committed to presenting calligraphy in fashion, some have recently woken up to its relevance. Flaunt it on a western wear or display it on an ethnic creation, its aesthetic charm remains a focal point.”
As this traditional art meets present day fashion sensibilities, the message is loud and clear: yesterday and today can happily co-exist in the beautiful world of fashion.