Know Your Rhythm With Kavisha ~ Notion Room Talks
Waste Systems need Remodelling
Let’s dive right in this week’s Notion Room talk with Kavisha Parikh and know more about her story and her brand Patch Over Patch.
Kavisha
I have come across and studied various crafts and one such craft reminds me of my visit to Rajasthan where Handmade paper is processed using waste cloths. The point being that the waste was never acknowledged as waste, the materials were processed endlessly in different forms back then resulting in crafts like these that are carried across communities.
The Notion: We see that very few steps are taken in improving our waste systems, but on the contrary, we notice that traditional methods of making products among our ancestors weren’t the case.
Mansi: (I think there is this notion where we need to rethink about making materials which need not include the elements that were traditionally used in making the products back then. Wonder if we could apply the same questions to other materials that make our day to day products, we could access to many more solutions and innovations to different kind of materials and products.)
Kavisha
Unlike large industries need to be aware that there is a need for a balance in our processes of manufacturing, which would help businesses rethink on the quality and quantity of production. Understand the design process is not just developing the product but the process.
Mansi: (Its always going to be the journey where you see that idea manifest which adds in a lot of details to the making of the product and the value it holds)
The Journey
Kavisha
I recall connecting the dots by the stories around, which influenced me to take up jobs that reflected my ideas and values. I felt that sustainable did play a role in choosing and learning the process, which made me do the things I am currently. I have always enjoyed working with colours and materials and other elements of design.
I think that experience speaks out subconsciously which then defines themselves in the work we do and the reflection is the brand that talks about all that I have learnt so far. My surroundings have inspired me and I believe that it’s always about the observation.
Mansi: (Observation is very understated, where it plays a role be it making decisions or creating something)
The Exploration
Kavisha
Learning Design process came through various projects where I worked with different concepts from learning of motor skills to exploring sounds for children’s toys. I specifically involved myself in surface exploration which allowed me to work around textures and exploring of materials.
The exploration and research on these products started along the lines of my final project where I sourced my material from Surat & Ahmedabad and made 40 pieces of Kimonos where I played around the composition. I have always been intrigued by the Japanese art form. Know your rhythm speaks about your free space, connecting to comfortability and range of choices.
Mansi: Composition, Overlap, Texture (The simplicity and the layers create such harmony in your piece of work and of course the functionality which I am a big fan of. Been able to view various cultures over time I saw such a contrast between the Japanese and Indian culture. Yes, they carried their charm, one bing so heavily focused in deeply rooted cultural practise of any form and the other a colourful mixture.)
The Culture
Kavisha
I would say that Japanese culture is deep-rooted where as Indian culture has unity within. The simple concept of Saree which is worn by dropping it around yet they come in various forms and designs where everything has its essence.
It's been two years now starting from Kimono Tops where I displayed it in exhibitions which created such a demand, encouraged me to further explore this concept for 4 months. My main focus was to play with the material that was more inspiring to what we do, so up-cycling was an added part to it.
Up-cycling was applied through the process and the knowledge I held. The team is also encouraged to work around material mainly and explore various textures and composition. To sum it up I would say its more of an experiential brand which inspires us to do what we do and of course inculcating sustainability into the brand.
Production Cycle of the product
Kavisha
The first step was to make sure that it is locally sourced which is one of the ways to keep the process efficient. It doesn’t make sense to source the material from far away places which would just end up increasing the cost of the materials as well as the product. I came across these local fabric shops and collected their leftover fabrics in bulk for specific projects.
Surat is one of the hub for textile Industry mostly synthetic and polyester fabrics. But we make sure to balance the fabrics using the patchwork technique. The visualisation is one of the important work here where we start to work with 2D Patches and impose with a 3D form for our end product. The main clothing is made mainly of Khadi and sometimes mixed with various materials.
Mansi: Do you ever face problems of bleeding of colours during the wash of these clothes?
Kavisha
Starting with the aesthetics to the production cycle of these products we try and stay within the monochrome composition of the clothes which would help avoid such accidents. It will lose colour but won’t bleed within each other. Although it is better to favour cold wash which would decrease the chances to zero.
The Team
Kavisha
The focus is mainly machine-made and doesn’t need too many hands. With the help of the project where I got in touch with ladies who knew basic stitching. I started conducting classes where I taught various techniques of patchwork and how we could use composition to get the aesthetics of the product and surface techniques which helped us to grow. There are numerous techniques of the patch over which includes layering and quilting. We work towards keeping the raw edges of the fabrics used as patches to give the product its style.
Sustainability
Kavisha
Doing/Making things efficiently where the process plays such an important role where the small attentions to details is given and not the end-use. Many things involve in making a product and our brand is aiming towards becoming more sustainable over time.
Mansi: It need not be completely eco friendly but the product the process from being sourced and how the product is made. It requires us to understand the complete cycle of making the product. I think the steps that we take only will happen when we aware of the potholes.
After the COVID and what the future holds
Kavisha
Our customers are international which was unexpected but we have an organic demand outside the market. This has allowed us to expand our reach outside. Not to forget after the COVID there has been an increased interest domestically as well. We plan on expanding our team internationally and expanding this chain outside. It has also to do with the kind of market India is. With a wide spectrum of people, there is a need for excessive marketing which is different internationally.
Mansi: Will the process of the products remain the same?
Kavisha The design being simple to adapt made it easier to copy the process anywhere in the given world.
“It’s not about pushing things which are not working rather concentrating on the ideas that are getting attention and refining those.” ~ Kavisha
