The beautiful land of Kashmir has many charms but it becomes difficult to think of all that in an atmosphere which currently persists there," says Saba Shabnam, a student designer at Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) who had to struggle to put together her work with Kashmiri embroidery and detailing.
Her collection, 'Amazing Kashmir', inspired by the Kashida embroidery from Kashmir, made its mark at the London Fashion Week recently, where eight INIFD student designers were selected to present their work. They were selected from 40,000 students who applied from all over India. "When I got to know that my work has been selected I felt amazing but little did I know of the struggle that lay ahead," says Hyderabad-based Shabnam.
She had to travel to Kashmir during the recent violence that erupted in the valley.
"After doing my research, I had to travel to Kashmir in order to work with the Kashida embroidery workers to get hand embroidery, hook work and needle work done. My family was very scared. And once I reached there, I found myself amidst a curfew. It was impossible to get in touch with anyone or travel to meet the workers," she shares.
Remembering an incident that happened during her stay there, she recalls, "As it is difficult to travel during the day due to the curfew, we used to travel at night. During one such night, a few people stopped our car at around 3 am. They were about to break the windows. I stepped out and explained to them what I was doing and requested them to let us go. We got shouted at that how could we even think of this in the middle
of such a violent situation and we should leave Kashmir."
Shabnam's neighbour died while she was in the valley. "The situation was really bad. Later, when I made the work, I saw that there was a lot of grey and black in it. Somehow, unknowingly, the situation got reflected in some of my work. Also, while displaying my work on such a huge platform, I didn't know what to feel, to be excited or to feel sad." She got to know that one of her workers in Kashmir was also killed in the recent violence.
Remembering the old days, she says, "I have lived in the valley till class 8. Then we shifted to Hyderabad. Since I was familiar with the Kashmiri work, I did my research but it became increasingly difficult for me to achieve this. At the end of the work, I was only left with three days for designing."
Shabnam wishes to continue with her work inspired from Kashmir. "I can't stop my work because of this and I will definitely keep working in the valley. 'Inshallah', the situation will improve."
![]( "vibrant Designs by Saba Shabnam")
The beautiful land of Kashmir has many charms but it becomes difficult to think of all that in an atmosphere which currently persists there,” says Saba Shabnam, a student designer at Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) who had to struggle to put together her work with Kashmiri embroidery and detailing.
Her collection, 'Amazing Kashmir’, inspired by the Kashida embroidery from Kashmir, made its mark at the London Fashion Week recently, where eight INIFD student designers were selected to present their work. They were selected from 40,000 students who applied from all over India. "When I got to know that my work has been selected I felt amazing but little did I know of the struggle that lay ahead,” says Hyderabad-based Shabnam.
She had to travel to Kashmir during the recent violence that erupted in the valley.
"After doing my research, I had to travel to Kashmir in order to work with the Kashida embroidery workers to get hand embroidery, hook work and needle work done. My family was very scared. And once I reached there, I found myself amidst a curfew. It was impossible to get in touch with anyone or travel to meet the workers,” she shares.
Remembering an incident that happened during her stay there, she recalls, "As it is difficult to travel during the day due to the curfew, we used to travel at night. During one such night, a few people stopped our car at around 3 am. They were about to break the windows. I stepped out and explained to them what I was doing and requested them to let us go. We got shouted at that how could we even think of this in the middle
of such a violent situation and we should leave Kashmir.”
Shabnam’s neighbour died while she was in the valley. "The situation was really bad. Later, when I made the work, I saw that there was a lot of grey and black in it. Somehow, unknowingly, the situation got reflected in some of my work. Also, while displaying my work on such a huge platform, I didn’t know what to feel, to be excited or to feel sad.” She got to know that one of her workers in Kashmir was also killed in the recent violence.
Remembering the old days, she says, "I have lived in the valley till class 8. Then we shifted to Hyderabad. Since I was familiar with the Kashmiri work, I did my research but it became increasingly difficult for me to achieve this. At the end of the work, I was only left with three days for designing.”
Shabnam wishes to continue with her work inspired from Kashmir. "I can’t stop my work because of this and I will definitely keep working in the valley. 'Inshallah’, the situation will improve.”
Her collection, 'Amazing Kashmir', inspired by the Kashida embroidery from Kashmir, made its mark at the London Fashion Week recently, where eight INIFD student designers were selected to present their work. They were selected from 40,000 students who applied from all over India. "When I got to know that my work has been selected I felt amazing but little did I know of the struggle that lay ahead," says Hyderabad-based Shabnam.
She had to travel to Kashmir during the recent violence that erupted in the valley.
"After doing my research, I had to travel to Kashmir in order to work with the Kashida embroidery workers to get hand embroidery, hook work and needle work done. My family was very scared. And once I reached there, I found myself amidst a curfew. It was impossible to get in touch with anyone or travel to meet the workers," she shares.
Remembering an incident that happened during her stay there, she recalls, "As it is difficult to travel during the day due to the curfew, we used to travel at night. During one such night, a few people stopped our car at around 3 am. They were about to break the windows. I stepped out and explained to them what I was doing and requested them to let us go. We got shouted at that how could we even think of this in the middle
of such a violent situation and we should leave Kashmir."
Shabnam's neighbour died while she was in the valley. "The situation was really bad. Later, when I made the work, I saw that there was a lot of grey and black in it. Somehow, unknowingly, the situation got reflected in some of my work. Also, while displaying my work on such a huge platform, I didn't know what to feel, to be excited or to feel sad." She got to know that one of her workers in Kashmir was also killed in the recent violence.
Remembering the old days, she says, "I have lived in the valley till class 8. Then we shifted to Hyderabad. Since I was familiar with the Kashmiri work, I did my research but it became increasingly difficult for me to achieve this. At the end of the work, I was only left with three days for designing."
Shabnam wishes to continue with her work inspired from Kashmir. "I can't stop my work because of this and I will definitely keep working in the valley. 'Inshallah', the situation will improve."
The beautiful land of Kashmir has many charms but it becomes difficult to think of all that in an atmosphere which currently persists there,” says Saba Shabnam, a student designer at Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) who had to struggle to put together her work with Kashmiri embroidery and detailing.Her collection, 'Amazing Kashmir’, inspired by the Kashida embroidery from Kashmir, made its mark at the London Fashion Week recently, where eight INIFD student designers were selected to present their work. They were selected from 40,000 students who applied from all over India. "When I got to know that my work has been selected I felt amazing but little did I know of the struggle that lay ahead,” says Hyderabad-based Shabnam.
She had to travel to Kashmir during the recent violence that erupted in the valley.
"After doing my research, I had to travel to Kashmir in order to work with the Kashida embroidery workers to get hand embroidery, hook work and needle work done. My family was very scared. And once I reached there, I found myself amidst a curfew. It was impossible to get in touch with anyone or travel to meet the workers,” she shares.
Remembering an incident that happened during her stay there, she recalls, "As it is difficult to travel during the day due to the curfew, we used to travel at night. During one such night, a few people stopped our car at around 3 am. They were about to break the windows. I stepped out and explained to them what I was doing and requested them to let us go. We got shouted at that how could we even think of this in the middle
of such a violent situation and we should leave Kashmir.”
Shabnam’s neighbour died while she was in the valley. "The situation was really bad. Later, when I made the work, I saw that there was a lot of grey and black in it. Somehow, unknowingly, the situation got reflected in some of my work. Also, while displaying my work on such a huge platform, I didn’t know what to feel, to be excited or to feel sad.” She got to know that one of her workers in Kashmir was also killed in the recent violence.
Remembering the old days, she says, "I have lived in the valley till class 8. Then we shifted to Hyderabad. Since I was familiar with the Kashmiri work, I did my research but it became increasingly difficult for me to achieve this. At the end of the work, I was only left with three days for designing.”
Shabnam wishes to continue with her work inspired from Kashmir. "I can’t stop my work because of this and I will definitely keep working in the valley. 'Inshallah’, the situation will improve.”