Madras Mayhem
For those of you who don't know much about my heritage, this blog post will give you a slight peek into my South Indian roots. While half of my lineage hails from Mangalore, the other half came from what was then called Madras, making me quite a lethal South Indian cocktail.
Amongst many things that Madras was famous for, one of it's hidden gems lies in the tiny streets tucked away mysteriously waiting to be found. Cotton.
Apart from just being a renowned region for homegrown cotton, the variety of fabrics found there will make you dizzy with feverish nirvana! Madras cotton is typically a lightweight, hand woven cotton fabric with a plaid, striped or checkered pattern that’s made with semi-permanent vegetable dyes known for bleeding to give it the soft, muted colors it’s known for.
I found this particular print in one of the textile stores there and it almost instantly caught my eye in all its chequered glory and flamboyantly glamorous orange zing. When deciding what to make with this beautifully aesthetic material, the image of an elegantly quintessential 60's cocktail dress came flooding into my mind. By now i'm sure you've all guessed my love for 'retro' fashion and hence, I decided to go ahead and make a gorgeous dress inspired from the yesteryears that can be worn everyday, even today.
As always, do let me know what you think of my designs so far, feedback is always welcome at Retro Rani. Don't forget to like my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram!
Until next time, mind it rascala!
Photographs: Mom
