Conscious Clothing

Ura Maku is a sustainable clothing brand that is looking to rebuild Indian handlooms with an eco-friendly fashionable twist. Bindu Gopal Rao speaks to designer Manjushree Saikia on her design philosophy…

- Bindu Gopal Rao

The brain child behind the contemporary natural fabrics label Ura Maku, designer Manjushree Saikia, a textile design graduate from NIFT Mumbai is all about freedom of expression. Ura Maku according to her is about giving the wearer wings to fly high and yet be rooted in their culture.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EARLY DAYS. WAS FASHION DESIGNING ALWAYS YOUR AREA OF INTEREST?

I have grown up in the upper valleys of Assam. This is where I have learnt about Assamese textiles and folk cultures. My maternal familia are Vaishnava devotees and the paternal side are Bodo tribals. Being close to both sides, I have realised how even as an Assamese, cultural practices, food and dressing beliefs vary from tribe to tribe and are yet connected by a common thread. Curiosity about cultures and their crafts drew me close to textiles. This is how I was introduced to fashion. Though design college taught me a lot, my responsibility toward the growth of textiles began when I started to learn about the different craft clusters of India. My paternal grandmother, who was an artist, was the niece of a very famous Assamese artist called Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha. My family believes that my passion for art and fashion comes from her.

WHEN AND WHY DID YOU START URA MAKU?

After my Graduation from NIFT as a textile designer, I started travelling and visiting craft clusters across India from Bhuj in Gujarat to Bhagalpur in Bihar. I was stunned by their skilled handicrafts. More importantly their humbleness and values made me realise the importance of a designer was to be responsible and thoughtful towards Indian artisans and their craftsmanship. I started Ura Maku in 2017. It is a shout out to the sustainable movement of clothing.