Emergence of “Heritage Cool” at Paris Fashion Week 2024/25

Kartik Research, Lagos Space Programme & more!

If I were to define “crafts heritage” I would say it is a treasure chest of generational memories and collective wisdom embedded in designs we can actually wear. We’ve been seeing this for few years now, the homegrown fashion movement has given rise to some phenomenal international talent on a global scale. This year, we saw revivalists and crafts connoiseurs present to us what I’d love to call “Heritage Cool” at the Paris Fashion Week : A celebration of cultural savoir-faire blended with ease and cool-ta of prêt pieces that can be mixed and matched with any wardrobe.

The runway is a depiction of the fastly changing retail landscape, and we can already see the heritage cool continuing to be a vibe.

We examine two such défilés from this season at Paris: Kartik Research and Lagos Space Programme. A special mention to the Oriental Fashion Show.

Kartik Research: The Two Indias

The Label: Launched by Kartik Kumra in 2021 in New Delhi, Kartik Research is focussed on infusing humanity into apparel. Every garment incorporates a handmade touch, with shirting and quilts crafted on handlooms, dyed using plants and herbs, and adorned with hand-done embroideries. Apparently, most of the garments are made without any use of electricity, which one can attribute certainly to majority of crafts in India- laborious, slow, made in rural India, made by hand and with lots of love.

Paris Fashion Week 2024-25: On one side, he delves into a romantic and fantastical vision of India, drawing inspiration from unexplored, pre-colonial homes and palaces. He terms this as "Indo-nostalgia," offering an escape into imagination. On the flip side, he confronts the contrasting face of a nation shaped by globalization, evolving social perspectives, and a political inclination to emulate the West. This dichotomy finds expression in clothing, symbolizing the fractured dialogue between the ancient and the modern. While reflecting on the past brings forth emotional complexities, there's an optimistic hope for India's future. His aspiration is for conversations to be not just reflective but also fruitful, inspiring, and generative.

Why I love it: For me, Kartik Research not only blends the Indian techniques on modern silhouetes but also shows us a new way of looking at the Indian crafts aesthetic. We’re breaking away from the notion of loud, colourful, over stimulating aesthetic, which by the way also still exists, towards more pared down aesthetic where the focus really is on the technique.

Each piece can be style as separates that I can see being worn in Paris, Berlin, New Delhi or New York.

Lagos Space Programme: Redefining African Design, Masculinity and Yoruba Culture

The Label: Founded in 2014 by Nigerian designer Adeju Thompson, Lagos Space Programme is a non-binary, luxury design project exploring African futures. The brand has a focus on craftsmanship and a dedication to slow fashion. Thompson's groundbreaking designs have defied conventional norms in the fashion industry, particularly in areas concerning Blackness, African design, masculinity, and beauty. Their contributions have served as a guiding influence for a new generation of African designers striving to make their mark on the global stage.

Paris Fashion Week 2024-25: In this collection, Project 9 “Invitation to Ojude Oba”, designer Adeju Thompson looked to fuse Nigerian and British culture, showcasing desconstructed and reimagined Yoruba garments alongside nods to British menswear, sourcing some of the fabrics from the Sudbury, England, mill Stephen Walters & Sons. He made the hats in the U.K., too. Looking to tradition — and his ancestry, which stretches from Nigeria to Britain — for this collection that examined the encoded messages that clothing can transmit. This collection draws inspiration from the vibrant Ojude Oba festival in Southwest Nigeria, celebrating the Yoruba people of Ijebu-Ode and marking 10 years of Adeju’s work in fashion.

Why I love it: Similar to Kartik’s work, this collection draws from two world’s and two cultures, while creating separates that are fantastically wonderful on their own or together. I love the indigo in this collection and the siganture post-adire motifs, which are reminiscent of this previous collections on Queer identity and Blackness, while still very much seeped into the Yoruba culture.

Special mention: Oriental Fashion Show

Frankly I’m not a huge fan of the word “Oriental”. The word really just means East or regions Eastern to Europe. Growing up in India, I thought it was used to define the East Asian aesthetic, think royal red and gold and the shebang. However, in Europe I’ve seen it being used for the Levant region, the Magreb, the Arab world, and everything in between. Since it takes away from the reader the specificity of the region and really clubs so many culturals into one, its not a mindful word to be used on such a scale.

Having said that, it was great to see a show dedicated to upcoming design talent from Middle East and North Africa. Since this was a runway showcasing multiple designers, I’m going to share the one that stood out as a favourite.

Frankly, little is known of Gowher Gouvernet-Pirkulyyeva, the designer from Turkmenistan who presented at the Oriental Fashion Show. I loved the quilted jackets and the jewel tones and really curious to explore more about the fabrics from this region. For now, this runway show was a great first glimpse.