ODYSSEY

Ponni Ashok

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Ponni Ashok focuses on textiles and draping, reflecting her interest in fashion identities, ecologies, and heritage. Drawing inspiration from diverse sources, including cultural traditions and sustainable practices, she enjoys contrasting themes and forms using manual and digital mediums. Ponni's textile work employs a multi-media approach, focusing on bold colour combinations and intricate print designs to showcase her exploration of layering techniques.

As fast fashion gains acceptance, the detachment between clothes and wearers becomes commonplace. Trends swiftly evolve, catering to shifting identities but ignoring sustainability. Inspired by the back of trucks in India, this collection satirises overconsumption while embracing sustainable methods. The sari, a versatile wardrobe staple, symbolises simplicity and modularity. Its excess fabric, called the pallu, invites interaction and allows the wearer to create new meaning. Inspired by this, discarded saris are repurposed through patchwork, serving as the foundation for this collection's textiles. The collection draws from DIY culture and anti-consumerist aesthetics of punk and dadaism, culminating in interactive textiles that encourage wearers to experiment with assemblage.