Session 16 summary
Woven Threads
While working as a color and trim designer for car industry, Margaret came to know that designers are required to understand people’s behavior and how it is affected by changing culture and society. This understanding is the foundation for innovation to create user experiences that connect with people and product. Trend Hunters gives clues to designers for creating new concept, the user insights and experience research is done, they also do the trend analysis, generate qualitative and quantitative frameworks of information and support marketing and advertising branches. These greatly help Margaret with Woven Threads.
The Naga Textile is the main source of inspiration for creating Woven Threads. It works with artisans, usually the work done is from their home. It creates sustainable textiles like using tie-dye with natural colors. The first step in creating a piece is concept creation where the sketches are first done on paper and then it is turned into the piece. Working with natural indigo was an inspiration from Tangkhul tribe and we used in pieces such as cushions. The warped technique is used in some pieces and so they have same texture but the spacing created a difference in them. Wearable art started during the pandemic. They did not want the conventional beauty, but somebody from the local village. So the models for the clothes were the local village people. Since the photo shoot was done right before the harvest season, the fields can be seen full of harvest. Along with jackets, they worked on Mekhla, the traditional attire. They also worked with cotton spinning cluster and bast fibre cluster in Meluri village and Noklak village respectively. They went to Choklangan to collect the raw materials. They also had craft workshop, a NID program. In this workshop a textile library was created, which displayed everyone’s ideas. Each women in this workshop belonged to a different community, it was made sure that they were responsible for their work and also promote knowledge sharing. Woven Threads practices zero-waste, where if there are some defects/rejections, accessories are made out of them.
About the Speaker
Kevisedenuo Margaret Zinyu
Textile Designer & Entrepreneur
Founder, Studio Predeliction
Kohima
Nagaland
Kevisedenuo Margaret Zinyu is an entrepreneur and Founder of Studio Predilection and NID alumni. She started her journey into craft in the year 2014 having an eclectic influence. The label Woven Threads has bagged the World Craft Council- Asia Pacific Region, Award of Excellence 2018 & EDIDA Elle Décor 2020 for fabrics.
She is also a craft consultant and trainer in upskilling and a part-time design educator. Her Design Studio collaborates with co-operative societies and like-minded people in sustainable handloom, handicraft sector and livelihood skills involving the younger generation. Her industry experience includes home exports, garment and paper manufacturing, museum and space design, color and materials for the Car design industry.
