On Friday, Governor Prof. Ganeshi Lal advised that all universities employ handlooms from Odisha as their dress code. He declared that Odisha handloom is inspired by nature while kicking off a two-day event at Kala Bhoomi called “We for Weavers: Promoting Sustainable Fashion.”
“The spirituality underpins the entire procedure. Odisha’s pride, handloom, is mirrored in the state’s customs, way of life, source of income, and personality. Planning should be done at different levels, he said, adding that the corporate sector should step up to market these products. He went on to say that this would help to enhance this and would help to promote Odisha’s handloom products internationally.
Eminent figures from many facets of society walked the ramp wearing handlooms as part of the “Walk for Weavers” event, which was organised by the World Trade Center, Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with the department of Handlooms, Textiles, and Handicrafts.
Nimeshika Natarajan, Assistant Director, WTC Bhubaneswar, stated that this is an initiative by WTC to promote sustainable fashion and Odisha handloom as well as to take the Odisha handloom to foreign markets.
Sunil Shukla, the director general of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India in Ahmedabad, emphasised the necessity of such interventions by stating that it is imperative to revive traditional textiles and crafts in order to preserve the state’s cultural and traditional legacy.
Nine weavers were honoured on the occasion, and a fashion show by designers who are developing sustainable fashion sets through clothing was also organised. Arabinda Padhee, the department’s principal secretary, was among those in attendance.
Prasanta Patnaik