The power of a classic, and its ability to remain relevant

What exactly is that memory of a classic that is specific to our context and that we are instantly drawn towards? One doesn’t know. But I do know that it is a thing of the subconscious, a natural, innate instinct that allows us to recognise the familiar motifs of our roots, and find within it a sense of identity, comfort and belonging. We live in a very diverse country where every town has a particular weave and every weave is representative of the context and the lifestyle from where it emanated. In the world that we live in, we don’t necessarily wear these weaves as an extension of the context but more as a costume. And yet when we drape it on ourselves, we are quietly digging into a past, excavating into a context and revealing to the wearer where we came/come from.

About 15 years ago, we lived in a world where everything was for everyone. But things are changing, of late, and for the good. Individual identities are occupying a strong place in people’s minds. Also with the idea of revival filling the air, people are re-visiting their past, scratching their memories for nostalgia, looking into their grandmothers and great-grandmother’s wardrobes for a piece of beauty that once was, and that has the possibility of finding a new lease of life, and becoming in a sense, a refection of the classic and a reminder of its relevance even in a world filled with multiple images and distractions. And that, for me, is a very interesting shift, reinforcing my already firm belief in the power of the classic and its ability to remain relevant, forever.

- Ahalya S