'Real India' - Injiri
by Alice Black
Meaning ‘Real India’, Injiri is the perfect moniker for the beautiful, classic work of Chinar Farooqui.
The name derives from the word given to highly valued fabrics exported to Africa in the 18th Century and was a mark of their authenticity, quality and provenance – qualities just as evident in Chinar’s designs, which tell stories of the textiles they are made from and pay homage to the artistry inherent in their making.
Image: Injiri via Facebook
Influenced by her childhood growing up in Rajasthan, where her mother would fill their home with hand-made textiles gathered at local craft markets, Chinar studied for a BA in Fine Arts and a Masters in Textile Design before opening her studio in Jaipur and launching Injiri.
The label is based on the celebration of hand-woven and hand-crafted Indian textiles and Chinar has developed a network of hand-loom collectives across India who work with organic cotton and natural dyes to produce the beautiful fabrics used in her designs.
Image: Injiri via Facebook
Image: Injiri via Facebook
For Chinar, the use of these fabrics is about more than just excellent quality. In rural India, the production of fabrics to be used in dressmaking is very much a local business with each fabric hailing from its own region, lending a social aspect and a sense of identity to the textiles. In the same vein, the local dressing styles of rural India and other global folk cultures can also be seen reflected in the shapes and styles of Injiri, lending the pieces their simple, elegant feel.
In fact, Chinar has often stated that the simplest work is often what inspires her designs the most and this, perhaps, is what makes her designs so classic. In a world of fast fashion, Injiri remains timeless.
Written by Alice Black.