A waterweed that clogs waterways has found an unlikely place on the fashion stage. Women from a village in Uttar Pradesh have made it all possible. They have used dried water hyacinth and crafted stunning bags and baskets that showcased their incredible talent on the Lakmé Fashion Week runway. For them, making baskets and other crafted items from the water weed is a way to earn a living without leaving the village.
To help the sex workers, facing social stigma and limited job opportunities in Biskohar, a bazaar town in Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, designer Anurag Gupta is working with them to turn an overlooked plant into a source of income.
How An Invasive Plant Becomes A Fashion Material?
Water hyacinth is a fast-growing, free-floating plant that grows rapidly in ponds, lakes, and other water bodies. Locally known as jalkumbhi, these plants can clog waterways and disrupt aquatic ecosystems if left unchecked. However, the plant can be used when dried. These can be cut into strips and woven into useful products such as bags, baskets, home accessories, and packaging materials. The plant's leftovers can further be utilised to make handmade paper.
For Anurag, the possibility of turning this weed into a fashion material opened a new way to explore sustainable fashion while creating job opportunities for women in his home region. Anurag got this idea after seeing the craftsmanship of Bihar at a showcase in Delhi, where water hyacinth was used to make baskets, mats, and gift items.
Growing up in Siddharthnagar, he wanted to help women of Biskohar who have faced social stigma for generations. Later, he learnt about the work of Earthomadic Foundation, which works with sex workers and trains them in artisan skills.
Women Were Reluctant At First
The women, however, did not accept the project initially. According to The Indian Express report, Gupta spent almost ten days convincing these women to join the project. Their hesitation came from previous experiences that caused a social stir at first but later vanished.
Expressing apprehensions on the project, one of the women said, "Everybody uses us to get headlines and then forgets us. They use us for their causes, get their grants, and leave us," she said, as quoted by The Indian Express. However, the women only agreed to the project after the first consignment of the project had been booked.
Dried Hyacinth Showcased At Lakme Fashion Week
At Lakme Fashion Week, Anurag Gupta showcased their craft skills of transforming dried Hyacinth into baskets and other items. Their appearance became an anomaly in the fashion industry, which is predominantly known for established designers and couture.
A runway show is just the beginning; designer Anurag Gupta is exploring opportunities to connect these artisans with different markets, including home and lifestyle products, corporate gifting, retail, and e-commerce. He is aiming to ensure that an opportunity created by a single visibility at Lakme Fashion Week turns into a lifelong one for these women without migrating to other districts.