Retelling Stories From The Past

Wajahat Rather started Raffughar as a tribute to the traditional darners of Kashmir. He uses his label to contemporize the ancient craft techniques of his home state.

How were you drawn to textiles?

WR: I studied painting in Jammu before I went to NID in Ahmedabad to study textile design. While I was studying painting I felt the objects I created lacked function. In the art school it was more about esthetics and philosophy. I wanted to create products that could serve a human need. It was partly to do with my innate curiosity and partly to do with the fact that I’m from a multicultural background. I’m interested in behavior how different people think depending on where they are from, and creating a dialogue with people that are different from me. The coexistence of a multitude of cultures definitely opens my mind.

I am from Kashmir, which is famous for its exquisite textile crafts. During my school days our neighbor, Ab Gani Padder, used to reuse old woolen carpets to make embroidered gabbas. My father had a kaleenwaan (carpet workshop) when I was a kid. Unfortunately he had to shift to a government job when there was a decline in the craft. Textile I guess was part of the daily rhythms back then and that may have helped my decision to study textiles at NID. I went on to do an MA Design - Fashion & Textile from Nottingham Trent University, UK.

How did your time at NID impact your career?