The fabric the Western world flaunts as a fashion statement is a product of our country’s richest textile tradition. One of the most profound textile arts of ancient India was – dyeing cotton fabrics.Ancient Indianswereable to dye vibrant colours due to their mastery of preparing the fabric before dyeing, known as mordanting.This process made the desired colour ingredients penetrate the fiber and become permanently insoluble. Ancient Indian fabrics have been global influencers and one such fabric is the Madras check. “BleedingMadras is not bleeding anymore,” claimsNaveen Chaudhary, India sourcing specialistwhere he was referring to one of the most colorful trend that swayed the global fashion world.Thesecheck fabrics were dyed with natural colours resulting in bleeding and fading colors that yielded a new look to the fabric each time it was laundered.It is a fact that what the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, wore actually traces its origin to India.
“One significant change that Madras fabrics have seen over the years is the use of colours to make it viable to international market,” says Naveen Chaudhary.The first recorded mention of fabric dyeing dates back to 2600 BC.The colors were mixed from exotic plants, insects or sea life. For example, the word “crimson” is derived from kermes, the source of the dye—an insect found on oaks trees. Of all the colours in the ancient world, yellow was the most common colour achieved from a number of plants. Other ancient colors like blue derived from indigo, a plant found in India and south east Asia. In fact India ancient India never believed in chemical dyeing. India can boast of this fact.
This fabric is one amongst several Indian fabrics that impacted global fashion. It is even referred in S.E.Hinton’s novel ‘The Outsiders’ as apparel preferred by the affluent class. During the 1930s, it was the craze of American tourists holidaying in humid places like the Caribbean and Madras check became a mark of being wealthy as it was worn by people who could afford a vacation.Fashion aficionados from Paris to Milan, New York to London love this ancient check fabric has inherited its name from the Chennai city which was formerly known as ‘Madras’ which gained global fame due to this fabric.These are lightweight cotton fabrics with colorful patterned texture and plaid design. In the 1500’s, Madras cotton was first block-printed by hand withfloral or temple designs.Mostly used as summer clothing, it is used for making shirts, skirts, pants, golf apparel, and kids wear. Originally used as simple apparel in South India,it inspired iconic Indian cartoonist R. KLaxman to create his common man in a Madras Jacket and Veshti.
The fabric has created a fashion history and gained international fame when global designers like Ralph Lauren and Brookes Brother started using it to enhance their western wear collections. Brooks Brothers was the first to introduce Madras to Americans (1902) and position it as preppy attire. Madras popularity reflects in its usage by numerous international designers like Gucci,Prada, Vivienne Westwood, Fred Perry, Michael Kors, Adolfo Dominguez and brands like Gant,Mango,J.Crew, Uniqlo, Lands’End, Pendleton,Izod, Ratio clothing, Vineyard Vines etc.
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