Initiative - Abrak

ABRAK: A Journey to help the community with design

I came to my hometown in the year 2014 when I was working as a Visual Merchandiser in Pantaloons India Pvt Ltd,, and I saw a lady wearing a beautiful handmade shawl. I was very interested in the texture and design of the wrap shawl. On asking her from where he bought that she told me that she had got that handmade wrap from her grandmom.  On not getting an answer I tried to find it online but didn't see anything helpful. I saw a few images but no idea how its made.  From the research, found that around 50 years back this weaving technique was practiced by women’s and girls in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orrisa. This kind of work stopped because of lower pay for their hard work and creativity resulting in less demand and awareness.

I tried to find the old community of the people who might know it. Got a lady who knew how to make that. She said it had been years she hasn't made that because it is time-consuming. But I asked her to teach me and started making pieces using that technique. Started with one person and then grown that to 15 people by partnering up with the NGO, Sakhi Parivaar whose goal was to stop child marriage, trafficking and helping the tribal and rural girls with Education and Livelihood.

Through this initiative in Jharkhand, India we empowered the community by addressing the issues of child marriage by involving them in this project giving them an opportunity of self-growth as well as earn livelihood. The base product developed in the community was finished in New Delhi, by creating unique fashion products such as ponchos, shawls, bags, baby blanket, stole as per the market needs.

MISSION

My mission was to revive this art form by contemporizing the items to today's market needs and helping community to grow. To promote and sell the products, several notable exhibitions were held, an e-commerce site was developed, and the products were made available via a number of other e-commerce sites as well. In order to scale, I partnered with an NGO to extend the production of the core material from which the products were made. The name of the project was Abrak. Abrak means “someone who is blessed” and so was that community. Abrak means “someone who is blessed” and so was that community.

DESIGNS

I took the initiative to save and preserve an under-appreciated and time-consuming indigenous handicraft which had fallen out of demand.

Shawls

Poncho

Most popular product. One can wear this poncho in 5 different ways.

Bags

 Material- Jute, wood and wool.

Instagram Link
https://www.instagram.com/abrakstore/

Goal and Inspiration while designing the products

To see fashion differently – from the way it’s made to the way it’s worn or used. To see it as encouraging the unique in everyone who touches our clothing, from maker to wearer.