The Selvedge is our permanent capsule collection comprising 20 especially commissioned, multi-purpose handmade textile pieces, designed and handwoven in Kachchh, Gujarat, brought out every winter. They are popularly called Kachchh Shawls. The stamp of handwoven is the imperfect selvedge of a textile. These handmade throws are woven and finished by the latest generation of a long lineage of cloth weavers in Kachchh. A 90" x 40" piece of textile takes up to 17 hours to weave and another 2-4 hours to finish, depending on the intricacy of design.
Bhuj was the destination I didn't I was headed to. This phoenix city turned out to be the most awe-inspiring place I have visited yet. It rose from the ashes and went ahead full throttle with the ancient crafts developed by its ancestors. No wonder its a crafts haven for professionals and enthusiasts from all over the world. And now, also the birth place of The All India Co.'s first collection.
This is the story of how TAIC's first collection, numbered 100, came to be. Ahmedabad figured as a short but pivotal stop in my larger travel plans across North India to explore Indian crafts in the summer of 2017. Although it wasn't my mecca, I walked away with both insight and gnawing questions.