Pushkar

Further impressions of Vrindavan and Pushkar:

• Driving on the wrong side of the road to get to where you want to go
• Cows roaming in the street, as well as monkeys, dogs and squirrels
• Cows eating refuse off the street
• Shantis made of sacks on the edge of town, a small, naked girl sitting in the dirt
• Shopping for exotic delights at a fraction of the price back home- brightly coloured pigments, silver and enamelled jewellery, perfume oils, coats made of recycled saris, leather bound books of recycled paper.
• Developing a taste for Indian cuisine and choosing it over Western alternatives even when its on the menu.

After a short week learning stitches and designing embroidery designs we had a weekend away in Rajistan. Arriving in Pushka at sunset, we were treated to a camel ride where we sauntered past orchards and arrived at the home of Fiona and Praveen. There we were treated to a feast and a performance by local gypsies, where tipping involved dancing with them! The next day we saw how The Stitching Project employs local women to embellish jacket components with a hand running stitch. This provides an additional income that is given directly to the women. We also tried out block printing in a local studio, used by Fiona and Praveen which was a lot of fun.

Camel ride through rural villages

Nandu Kanwar refining my "graffiti" block printed scarf 

Local gypsy dancing troupe

Fiona and Praveen are embracing the principles of fair trade, making jackets and clothing to order whilst employing local artisans and women. Fair trade, sustainable fashion is certainly the longer, harder road, with so fewer suppliers and so many more questions to ask, but it is the way I want to go. Although I am seeing first hand how complicated, arduous even, it is to achieve quality high fashion that is kind to the planet and is inhabitants. Obtaining organic cotton in small runs, sourcing second hand sari fabric in the colour ways of your choice, training makers to a standard discerning customers would expect as minimum. I have so much more respect now for the designers who are going just a little way to make their collections fairer.

Fiona & Praveen inspecting jacket pieces with hand stitched embellishment.