House of Anita Dongre launches Anita Dongre Grassroot

Traditional Indian crafts have been a treasure from the yesteryears. Whether it is the royal chickankari from Lucknow, the vibrant gotta patti from Rajasthan, the ornate ikat from Karnataka and Hyderabad or the refined handwoven Banarasi brocades; our craft traditions embody the highest levels of excellence, with a legacy that dates back hundreds of years. In an initiative to revive our glorious craftsmanship from fading away into oblivion, renowned designer Anita Dongre will be seen paying a tribute to the hands of history, through a sustainable brand from her fashion house.

Anita Dongre Grassroot is the dairy of India’s craft history. It chronicles and restores heirloom traditions from the heart of our villages and fashions them into contemporary tales. Collaborating closely with artisans and helping create better livelihoods, Grassroot is a tribute to the handcrafted tradition of India. The brand will offer handcrafted traditions from India with an aim to revive and sustain craft traditions, and empower craft and artisans to live a life of respect, dignity and independence.

Offering crafts and weaves from the heart of India in contemporary styles, Anita Dongre Grassroot is aimed at appealing to the global woman of today who seeks to align with brands that reflect fashion and ethics. The brand presents to this global citizen, a versatile range of wardrobe essentials that will tribute her progressive attitude of embracing modernity, with due respect to the priceless traditions of India.  The brand fashions tradition into contemporary stories that make you revel in the glory of the past. Every garment you wear speaks to you of age old tradition and our proud heritage in timeless ways. Through their forms and motifs, they tell sagas. The vivid detailing and use of symbolic elements add layers of meaning. 

In line with the ‘Revive Sustain Empower’ philosophy of the brand, Anita Dongre Grassroot is also making inroads into bringing work to the homes of the artisans to not only protect our handcrafted traditions, but to also rightly compensate craftsperson’s for their skills. Anita Dongre Grassroot is not a mere brand. It is a life-way for maestro-craftisans. It is a craft movement that will seek a global stage in increasing the green footprint of our country and introduce to the world, Indian craft traditions that will build social capital, while making the fashion conscious wear tradition in a modern language.

Through the brand, House of Anita Dongre has already started work with some NGOs and will continue to associate with many more NGOs as the brand progresses. Some of the NGOs working closely with Grassroot are   SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre who help us to reach out to local artisans near Patan in Gujarat to revive the stunning ahir embroidery while also furthering women empowerment; Self Employed Women’s Association in Lucknow to recreate the quiet elegance of the royal chickankari and Trishul foundation in Mumbai to retell the story of Warlikatha.

Representing a beautiful collaboration between yesterday and today, Anita Dongre Grassroot is the diary of India's craft history, presented in a modern fashion.  It is a homage to the skillful hands of craftsmen who through generations of families have gifted the world fascinating craft.
An arty chic luxury platform, this contemporary brand will find its first destination store in Mumbai at Linking Road, Khar (W).