- Rithihi showcases newest collection storied on the French-Tamil influence in Puducherry
- Marine researcher Ramani Jayawardena, Kuppameniya Founder Melanie Daetwyler-De
Silva Interior Designer Annika Fernando muses for launch of collection in Sri Lanka - Collection captures quintessence of a French summer within the folds of traditional
Tamil culture
Dubbed as a love letter to summer, designer Anavila Misra wove her ode to the Franco-Tamil
culture of Puducherry in the second of the Textile Talks series at the Rithihi flagship store at
Alfred House Gardens recently. Mesmerised by the heady scents and palette of the hues of
French influence that mixed effortlessly into the backdrop of Tamil culture when she first
visited Puducherry in 1999, Anavila’s ÉTÉ Collection depicts the modernity yet traditionality of
the sari drape.
‘I could see that cultural fluidity in the drape of linen saris – the ease, the grace and the
elegance which is very much the persona of the South Asian woman’ – Anavila Misra
The cross-cultural narrative behind ÉTÉ which transcends geographic boundaries and into the
infinity of the ethno-European cultural space has been perfectly encapsulated by Rithihi using
Sri Lankan muses of mixed identities to showcase the blend of tradition and modern in the
everyday woman. Rithihi captures Marine Researcher Ramani Jayawardena and physiotherapist
and Kuppameniya Founder Melanie Daetwyler-De Silva who are both of Swiss-Sri Lankan origin.
In addition, Interior Designer and multi-faceted entrepreneur Annika Fernando who has a Sri
Lankan father and mother who was Dutch, Danish and Austrian with a German upbringing to
realise the relevance of the Anavila story to Sri Lanka.
collection
‘Garments shouldn’t necessarily represent cultural identity; they can stand alone as statements’
– Ramani Jayawardena
Anchoring the saris on a canvas of white with the rose as the primary motif, Anavila explained
the thought process behind the collection to the intimate audience gathered at the store. “The
idea of a summer collection danced in my head for a long time and when I went back to
Puducherry 25 years later, I could see that cultural fluidity in the drape of linen saris – the ease,
the grace and the elegance which is very much the persona of the South Asian woman. Linen is
the perfect celebration to that cross-pollination of cultures that fuse the Tamil and French way
of life.”
‘Clothes have the power to express individual style while also serving to represent cultural
identity’ – Melanie Daetwyler-De Silva
Each of the saris is an opus; a legacy regaling a story of a passionate experiment blended with
indigenous textiles and artisanal skill. With a desire to modernize and deconstruct the age-old
sari, ÉTÉ holds within its weaves elements of a garden in full bloom or the minute detailing of a
single feature symbolic of a languid summer day. As Ramani mentions, “Garments shouldn’t
necessarily represent cultural identity; they can stand alone as statements. The way Anavila
drapes saris show how easily they can be perceived as Western outfits.”
as Western outfits
‘I believe clothing for the creator is just another outlet to funnel design and craftsmanship, and
for the wearer, a means of expression’ – Annika Fernando
The piece de resistance in the ÉTÉ collection is the ivory khadi silk sari that took a team of
applique artisans and hand embroiderers 400 days to complete. The detailing is meticulous, the
work exacting and the process surely exhausting, but it is an oeuvre that chronicles the entirety
of how artisanal hands weave cultural identity into an ever-evolving newness.
“I believe clothing for the creator is just another outlet to funnel design and craftsmanship, and
for the wearer, a means of expression,” says Annika, who identifies with wearing South Asian
designs. “A designer could create a piece to communicate a point of view and the wearer may
not read it or express it in the same way.”
Melanie perfectly captures the Anavila spirit in this collection, saying, “Clothes have the power
to express individual style while also serving to represent cultural identity. What I wear reflects
this belief as I combine traditional elements with contemporary designs to showcase my
appreciation for both heritage and innovation.”
