Reverie: pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts; a daydream – a word that sums up April and is perfectly fitting for Arpitha Chandrappa, natural textile connoisseur and hand stitcher at Kuruhu. With her words, and delicate textile expressions; toying with light, and occasionally taking a plunge to explore the nuances of being human, Arpitha takes us on a dreamlike sensorial trip.
Girl Gone Authentic:
Please tell me a little bit about yourself?
Arpitha:
I’m a little dreamer in this kaleidoscopic world. Always a little inspired and so easily getting lost, a little awestruck & a little despondent.
Girl Gone Authentic:
I am curious to know, what inspired the playlist? Ie. is there a place, or state of being it resonates with?
Arpitha:
For me, these past months have been so much like spring. There’s been loss some moments of peace, moments of bright hope and dark hopelessness. And as much as there was lightness, there was heaviness. The playlist is a soundtrack to those shifting feelings.
Girl Gone Authentic:
Your favourite season? If it were a scent, how would you describe it?
Arpitha:
Hard to choose, I’m learning to love them all, even if from afar; but right now, summer is my favourite season, with the fragrance of frangipanis wafting in the breeze.
Girl Gone Authentic:
Do you have any favourite memories of your childhood that you think speak to your life now?
Arpitha:
Yes, a handful, especially the time spent at my maternal grandparents’ home and my early childhood house in a small town surrounded by flowering and fruit trees, whose branches were my favourite place to sit upon and paint a world full of colours.
Girl Gone Authentic:
What is currently piquing your curiousity, and how is it shaping the way you express yourself?
Arpitha:
Lots of things.
But… I’m curious about how people tell their own stories, how often they are the heroes, and the ones that stand in their own ways. Perhaps I’m trying to learn about myself through their stories?
"One of the first dresses I hand stitched. The fabric is a tribal weave, handwoven & dyed in natural colours like the deep earthy red derived from the bark of the al tree. Its coarse texture was a treat to hand stitch. Here I am looking pleased with myself, on a balmy afternoon having just picked up a fallen hibiscus to complement my dress perfectly."
"I find comfort & inspiration in the simplest of white cotton saris with flowers in my hair. I find my summer in the coldest of winters in a simple cotton sari & flowers in my hair."
I drown myself in the deep calm of indigo every time I need a sense of rooting. It's the colour of my late grandfather's blazer that he often wore & the colour of the many pretty dresses my father bought for me when I was younger. Ironically, the colour blue is the only thing we agree on.
I love collecting fallen flowers, perhaps I was a magpie in my last life. In this I'm like a puppy when I spot fallen flowers. Oh the myriad textures & gradients of a fallen drying flower. I could only wish to age as gracefully as flowers do.
Girl Gone Authentic:
You love natural textiles. Do you have a personal favourite material? Why it?
Arpitha:
Cotton. It brings with it a sense of a place through its colour, texture & smells. I’m drawn to rustic textures & nothing brings me more joy than wearing a simple cotton dress or sari.
Girl Gone Authentic:
What do you look for when you source your materials?
Arpitha:
I’m intrigued by the provenance and story of the material or weave, & I look to be drawn to it, sometimes it’s the texture, sometimes colour, sometimes print.
I’m always imagining stories in my mind about it and how I would wear it, in a particular light, place, occasion.
I guess I try to find my expression in the material.
Girl Gone Authentic:
If you could live in one outfit, what would it be?
Arpitha:
A white or undyed (kora) cotton dress. (Or a dress in natural indigo).
Girl Gone Authentic:
What is something that you do that makes you feel like you are taking good care of yourself?
Arpitha:
When I take the time out to design and stitch or weave on my backstrap loom. It soothes my ruffled thoughts; unfortunately, I don’t do it often enough.
Girl Gone Authentic:
World peace. Clean Earth. Love. Pick one.
Arpitha:
Despite my disposition, I’m pragmatic enough to know we aren’t capable enough of world peace nor a clean earth, so Love. Lots of it.
Arpitha, what a joy to experience you – thank you!
All images are courtesy of Kuruhu
