Meet Anam Husain, an apparel designer, stylist, and writer passionate about creating subtle textures and surfaces on fabrics. We recently got candid with Hussain about her artistic journey so far.
With design DNA strongly linked to craftsmanship, Anam was aptly nicknamed “Artisanal” in her college years. Where many designers and fashion houses lean towards commercial means of mass-producing, Anam stands out with her deep value for intricately laboured and ethically-produced craftsmanship, with a conscious focus on sustainability. Choosing to treat her designs as wearable works of art, the designer’s inspiration arises from deep-rooted memories, nostalgic life moments and collectables of bygone eras, And when she turns her attention to the great outdoors, she finds nature to be a great source of inspiration.
“My creative universe is earthy, metallic and raw. Each natural scent ignites my creative spark. Thus, I relate every design collection I create with a particular scent. My latest collection Patina smells like petroleum (liquid gold) to me!”
— Anam Husain
An avid fan of maximalism, the designer swears by the idea that more is always less. Constantly experimenting and harmonising the clash of different materials and colours is the driving force behind Anam’s creative process.
“I find poetry in what is decayed and weathered like leaves leaving their natural tint on fabrics. Well, blame my school for teaching me to create the best out of waste! I was once working on a project with block printers through which I discovered that when printing on a fabric, the pigment sieves down to the table cover and forms interesting one-of-a-kind prints. These prints are a play on traditional Indian motifs, have layers of many colours, take weeks to be made, and can never be reproduced in the same way. To my surprise, the printers would throw away these fabrics as waste. In Patina, I have repurposed these fabrics with handloom chanderi zari saris.
— Anam Husain
While her design language stands out to be eclectic and has an air of timeless elegance, she reveals that her creative spirit is as emotional as it is tactile. Interacting with her mediums and building a personal context with it helps her bring the sartorial vision to fruition. Armed with the tools of resourceful intent and crafty knack to create eco-friendly fashion, her collections Petrichor, Talisman, and now Patina relays her life story and showcases where the designer’s love lies; revaluing and appreciating discarded materials, innovating crafts, and being kinder to the environment.
Refusing to categorise her creativity into boxes of gender or styles, Husain is dedicated to going back to basics and empowering craftsmanship through her work. Combining creative waves with her unique design dynamic, the young designer is one of the many artists leading a homegrown fashion revolution.
Check out her work here.
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