Gujarati Fashion – Blend of Silk & Cotton

Located in the western lands of India, bordered by Pakistan, stands the glorious state of Gujarat. Also known as the land of the Gurjans, Gujarat is a burst of colours, prints, embroideries and craftsmanship. Acclaimed for its Chaniya Cholis, that’s not all Gujarat has to offer! From a wide range of embroideries to different handloom weaving techniques, entire communities practice block printing to intricate works of tie and dye, with all of this finding its roots in the state. The rich range of textiles owes to the people of different communities, castes, tribes and regions of the state, who kept the age-old traditions alive.

Traditional Gujarati Fashion

Women

The traditional dress of Gujarat for women is a saree. Known to adorn a seedha palla saree, exquisite and labour intensive techniques such as patola weaving and bandhani are seen constituting these six yards of grace. Women are also seen in Gujarati dresses such as Chaniya Cholis, adorned with intricate embroidery and bandhani designs, and are usually accompanied with an Odhni (dupatta). For wedding festivities, women bring out their heirloom trousseau consisting of Panetar Sarees and the Gharchola.

Men

Gujarati traditional dress for men is a Dhoti and Kurta, always accompanied by a Phento (kind of turban). On festivities, they are seen wearing a Kediyu and Chorno made with ornate hand embroidery. The tribal men are also seen wearing the same.

Textiles Of Gujarat

Broadly divided into three types, textiles are constructed through printing and dyeing, embroidery and handloom weaving.

Eminent commercial embroidery styles are Zardosi, Aari work and Soof. But that’s not all! Every tribe of Gujarat offers embroideries of their own that the women did in their leisure times. Some of them are Rabari, Heer Bharat, Abhla work, Sindhi Tarupa and Moti or beadwork.

Ajrakhpur in Gujarat, as the name suggests, is the homeland of the block printing technique called Ajrak that uses resist dyeing to get the results. Batik and Sandagiri are also types of printing done by artisans.

Gujarat and Rajasthan are neighboring states in India known for their vibrant textiles, including the famous Bandhani tie-dye technique and intricate embroidery work.

Mata Ni Pachedi is a labour intensive blend of kalamkari and block printing, an art near extinction that found its roots as a form of devotion to the Goddess. Ikat, Patola and Khadi are the handwoven textiles Gujarat is eminent for.

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