Bandana Tewari is a lifestyle editor, sustainable activist and formerly the editor-at-large as well as the fashion features director of Vogue India. For 13 years, Tewari has reported on the socio-political role of fashion, until stepping down from her role at Vogue to focus her efforts on advocating for change within the industry. (Intro text source: Businessoffashion.com)

The Twitch talk posted below, as well as meeting Bandana Tewari was a highlight of participating at Helsinki Fashion Week 2020. Instagram: @behavebandana

Sheer joy!

Another inspiring moment – in Bandana’s own words, in a cca. 2013, in an article published at borderandfall.com: “Fashion and humility are words that seldom seem to go together. (…) However in India, if I look closely at the fabric of ‘fashion’, the simplicity, of say, the vaishti, dhoti, lungi or sari, I am always struck by this almost Gandhian frugality that lends itself to these humble yards of ‘uncut’ cloth. In my opinion, the ingenuity and adaptability of this fabric can be traced to the ingenuity and simplicity of its weavers. (…) for me, the breakthrough designers of this millennium will be the ones who pose and explore this question: How do I engage two seemingly disparate worlds of creativity—one rural, one urban—into a fruitful relationship? (…) As I debate with Indian and international designers on how Indian crafts can be used in mainstream fashion, this is what I say–my vote, for whatever its worth, goes to those designers who use India’s sartorial traditions and make them super cool. I truly believe fashion can empower a nation, our nation. All we have to do is believe in a simple truism from the mouth of the inimitable Vivienne Westwood, who challenged and changed the fortunes of her nation’s fashion:  ‘In order to do anything original you have to build it on tradition.'”

Love,

Mandali