Meghalaya's traditional and organic silk 'Ryndia' will be showcased along with the best of textiles from around the world at the London Fashion week as Khasi designer Rupert Lynrah showcases his designs later this week.
Lynrah is presenting the traditional Khasi-Jaintia attire with a modern twist in the Spring/Summer 2017 show at the London Fashion week through his fashion house - RwL Designs.
With many designers looking to catch the attendees' imagination during the London Fashion Week, Lynrah is sure that organic Ryndia will make an impact, as he is the only designer from the country to be showcasing his work at the show.
"It's something that will catch an eye of the people, though I am going there with an open mind. As a designer, I would love to showcase my work to the public and I want the collection to be remembered by the people.
"That being said, it's just an honour to promote the cultural traditions of Meghalaya through my work and I hope I do it justice," Lynrah said.
Elaborating on the Ryndia featured in his designs, the 37-year-old designer said, "Ryndia is our traditional indigenous textile that comes from a silkworm reared by rural people in Meghalaya. Ryndia is warm in winter and cool in summer, like a natural product is supposed to be."
He said because of its rustic nature, Ryndia might look lifeless, but once the fabric is given a form and a twist with some overlay, like embroidery or some lace details, it can raise the value of the product.
Lynrah's 'Ethnicity with a Mod Twist' collection features
jainsems, which is a well known product of Meghalaya, as well as designs inspired by the 1960s with elements that represent his cultural roots.
His RwL Designs, a fashion house launched in 2012, is aimed at promoting traditional fashions of the Khasi-Jaintia community of the North East.
Lynrah had nearly a decade of experience behind him when he was invited to exhibit his designs in London after taking part in this year's North East India Fashion Week.
According to him, weaving has traditionally been the main source of income for women in the rural areas of Meghalaya.
Weavers use time-honoured lion looms, backstrap looms and flying shuttle looms, but due to decreasing demand, they are giving up the age-old traditions in search of other work.
On the green message he is taking to London, Lynrah said, "The textile industry is one of the most polluted in the world. Organic is not a fad, but is a social issue that one has to continue as a tradition.
"We can't have it here today and gone tomorrow, it has to be at the core of our being."
A second collection which he will present is 'Hollywood Glamour', an assortment inspired by glamorous Hollywood showstoppers like Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Vivien Leigh featuring a true red carpet collection of heavily embellished gowns.
The fashion week will be a two-day event (September 17-18) and feature designers from the UK, Singapore, the Netherlands, Italy and the US.
