Sabah Mansoor Husain, of Bangalore, India, entered the Academy of Art University for her MFA degree in Fashion and Knitwear Design, after receiving her BA degree in Textile Design from Bangalore’s Srishti School of Art Design and Technology in 2005.
Sabah’s knitwear collection combines an eclectic set of techniques derived from both craft and design. She drew upon traditional methods of felting fabrics, crochet, hand embroidery and Shibori (a Japanese technique of dyeing a pattern which begins with binding, stitching, folding, twisting and compressing fabric); Sabah incorporated these first steps of Shibori to manipulate the fabrics and enhance the sculptural textures in her collection.
Commissioned beads and crystals:
Inspired by chandeliers, Sabah worked with an artisan in Firozabad, India to customize the jewel-shaped crystals and faceted glass beads she used to embellish to her entirely black and charcoal collection.
The use of ‘felting’:
“I learned how to create felt from artist Tenzin Yang, a woman who makes felt hats and bags in a small shop in Darjeeling, India. When I began developing my collection, I remembered her patience in teaching me the process she had such passion for - a process that had been passed down through generations in her family…I would love to see her reaction to my collection; sadly do not have contact with her anymore.”
Sabah’s experience commissioning the beads and crystals:
“When I began working on my collection, a search for the right materials led me on an interesting exploration. I wanted to use a jewel component; however, I was not satisfied with the size and scale of the crystals available at local stores. I searched shops and salvage yards for crystal chandeliers, yet didn’t find the colors and quantities that I needed. Since I grew up in India, and started my design career in the textile industry, I had heard about factories and artisans who created faceted glass beads and bangles in a small city called Firozabad, located within the state of Uttar Pradesh. I traveled there and discovered a small workshop run by a gentleman, Ahmed Farouq. He agreed to work with me and together we designed the pieces from scratch; he even taught me how to facet glass and make it shine like crystal. In a gesture that seems to speak of the importance of his craft and the personal dedication to his work, Mr. Farouq made the trip from Firozabad to Bangalore in order to work on the final product and hand-deliver the finished pieces to me.” Read more…
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