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Indian Clothing In First Half Of The 20th Century
As in other parts of the world, South Asia has been a crucible for the merger of numerous cultural elements. Over time each new influence has blended with the existing culture. However, it is the extent of amalgamation, appropriation, and diversification without the elimination of formerly established indigenous elements, that brings uniqueness to each culture. The intermingling of Indian and Greek styles during ancient history can be seen in Indian art and sculpture even today. Elements of the union between Indian and Middle Eastern styles during the medieval period became a recognizable visual aesthetic of what is now considered as Indian. Similar result occurred when India was under the control of the Portuguese and then under British-owned East India Company followed by colonial rule. The refined luxury of Indian textiles and products was appreciated by the British; while the fascination for western designs and fabrics was strong among the Indian populace. By the mid-19th century, Indian courtly attire was made with European textiles [Kumar, 1999] and European design elements. During the 19th century, traditionally handcrafted Indian goods were faced with the challenge of competition from industrially produced goods manufactured in Europe and imported by India. This problem was compounded by the taxes levied on indigenous textiles of different regions levied by the British which severely damaged the production and trade of indigenous handwoven and handcrafted textiles. An example was the case of the Kashmir shawls, which faced decline due to two reasons – the European imitations of the craft, and the oppressive Dag Shawl tax imposed by the Afghan rulers of Kashmir and later the Sikh rulers [Ames, 1997]. The inflow of printed and mill-made textiles of Europe into the markets of Asia and the Middle East was another blow to India’s indigenous textile industry. Much of Asia and the Middle East had been heavy importers of textiles from India, especially printed and hand-painted textiles [Ames, 1997]. These handmade textiles soon faced a challenge posed by industrially manufactured fabrics.
Foreign Influences On Indian Clothing
Initially wearing western clothing was restricted to the elite and the courts. Gradually in the late 19th and early 20th century, those who had received western education also started to wear western-style clothes. As the wives of the Indian Babu who worked with the British officers accompanied their husbands to official get-togethers. They adopted saree blouses with band collars and long, puff sleeves resembling the western blouses worn by the British memsahibs and the saree petticoats resembling the western full-length skirt with tucks and lace at the hem. Saree edges could be trimmed with lace.
In the 20th century, the Parsi [Parsi simply means ‘Persian’] community migrated from Persia to settle in Gujarat and other parts of Western India. Sea trade with China provided a way for Parsi men to bring back embroidered fabric from China for the women in their families. These became the inspiration for women to embroider intricate patterns along the edges of Chiffon, Gauze, or Satin Sarees [Called Gara] in untwisted silk thread using stitches such as Peking stitch, satin stitch, and various types of the knot stitch [Chishti, 2019]. Sometimes flat silver wire called Badla, and the metal yarn called Zari or beads was also used. The embroidery was popularly referred to as Parsi Kadai. The evolution of the saree with its distinctive embroidery that came to be known as the Parsi Garo [TRC Leiden, 2019] may, therefore, be attributed to the silk fabric and technique from China but uniquely indigenized with a combination of Chinese, European and Indian motifs.
Fashion In The Royal Families Of India
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the import of European textiles had increased considerably. Simultaneously, decreasing patronage and famines in some parts of India led to a decline in the artisan sector. At this time the elite dressed in both traditional and western styles. In court and for formal occasions, Indian attire with western details inspired by the Edwardian style at the turn of the century, and later by sporty looks from the 1920s and 1930s, was visible. This new Indian elite class endeavored to be in sync with the latest fashions of Europe. However, there were those who retained the original Indian aesthetic.
A landmark occasion was the Delhi Durbar in 1911. During this occasion, the Indian royalty put up a display of wealth and sartorial refinement through meticulously crafted Indian clothing. There was simultaneity of preference for Indian attire in court, with visible European influence in robe-like fashion and accessories [Kumar, 1999]. A major change that took place in menswear was the transition from the earlier popular Chogha and Jama to the now popular Sherwani, Achkan, and Chapkan which were always paired with a Kurta-Pajama and Turban. This early 20th-century look has now become the attire for ceremonial menswear. In spite of some modifications with time, its basic form and appearance remain constant.
Women of royal families continued to wear traditional clothing, albeit in a less cumbersome way, as compared to 19th-century norms of royal dress. These included Sarees, Gharara, Ghagra, Farshi Pajama with Odhni. The popularity of the saree among the royals that had held sway in the Hindu states of the Deccan now expanded across the country. The iconic Maharani Indira Devi of Cooch Behar and Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur popularized the elegant Chiffon Saree. Other royal ladies were often seen wearing the characteristic sarees of their home state be it handloom Banarasi, Maheshwar, and Kanjeevaram or handcrafted Bandhni.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Indian royal families patronized luxurious fashion and lifestyle products made exclusively by world-acclaimed luxury houses in Europe. For example, some celebrated clients of the luxury jewelry brand, Cartier include the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar II, Rani Sita Devi of Kapurthala, Maharani Indira Devi of Cooch Behar, and others. Royal families also purchased customized luxury products such as Louis Vuitton luggage, Mont Blanc Pens, Rolls Royce Cars, and more.
Clothing For The Indian Populace
A significant development in this period was the emancipation of women in India. The Bengal Sati Regulation banning the abhorrent practice of Sati in all jurisdictions of British India was passed in 1829 by the then Governor-General Lord William Bentinck. The practice of veiling by women with the Purdah started to diminish. Progressive thinkers encouraged women to receive an education. The effect of all socio-cultural changes gave women a newfound confidence to take independent decisions regarding their lives, careers and by extension, their attire.
The first half of the 1900s was a time of great turbulence when the assertation of Indian identity gained political significance through the struggle for freedom wherein the aspiration of a sovereign state increasingly gained momentum. At this time, Mahatma Gandhi realized that clothing is not merely body covering, but a representation of identity of the individual or even of the nation. He urged the people to boycott British-made textiles and clothing, propagating the indigenous khadi in its stead. Khadi was hand-spun and hand-woven on small looms; it was a fabric that could be developed at home. Khadi was not alien to the Indian households but was, in fact, a part of domestic life. Gandhi positioned khadi as a visual and an economic strategy challenged the industrial power of British mill-made cloth. The envisioning of khadi as a symbol of self-reliance and political beliefs became a unifying factor for Indians. The khadi attire with the Gandhi Topi [Cap] was a radically different yet potent visual challenge to elaborately.
Khadi And India’s Nationalist Struggle
The role of khadi was so significant in India’s freedom struggle that the charkha [spinning wheel] was featured on the flag of the Indian National Congress, which later became an iconic element in the freedom struggle for sovereign India. The slowdown in consumption of British-made goods in India resulted in reduced demand for imported products. The first flag hoisted on the Red Fort to mark the birth of independent India on 15th August 1947 was made of khadi. One of the norms making the Indian flag mandates that the fabric must necessarily be Khadi. Till date, khadi remains a preferred fabric for the official clothing of political representatives.
In post-independent India and more so in the late 20th century and in this millennium, khadi has taken on an extended role. It is now looked at as an indigenous legacy, a heritage, a source of livelihood for the Indian masses, and significant as an environmentally friendly fabric. The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises [MSME], Non-Government Organizations [NGOs], designers, and patrons have been proactive in promoting khadi as a versatile fabric and high count, fine quality khadi as an exclusive fabric that has aesthetic and historical value.
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