Masks to the rescue

Five of India's leading fashion designers – Manish Malhotra, Anita Dongre, Tarun Tahiliani, Gaurav Gupta and Rahul Mishra kickstarted a new social awareness campaign called Behind the Mask, to support the karigars (craftspeople) rendered jobless by the pandemic. In a five-part series, for TLC and streamed on Discovery Plus, each designer will give an intimate peek into their lives during the pandemic as well as create a prototype of a mask using elements from Indian art and culture. These designs then serve as inspiration for five unique mask collections, each an ode to a craft or a community.

To execute this project, Condé Nast India brought on board Myntra to produce and sell the masks and Give India to ensure the profits from the sales reach the right NGOs.

Speaking about it, Malhotra says, "The project initiative was a beautiful way for me to share my mindset during the lockdown, I thought it was imperative to share your positive and happier side as different people are going through mixed feelings in these pandemic times. Through this, I went down the memory lane of my 30 years in costume designing in films, and the theme of this mask is hence, appropriately set in the background of Bollywood movies. In this lockdown, I've spent a good time watching old classic films that have only helped me relive my childhood memories once again. Besides that, the profits will go to charity, which made this work even more special."

Gupta adds, "It is a remarkable initiative that brings together the work from home life of designers and artists with India's rich heritage of her crafts and craftsmen. The pandemic has force stopped our high octane lives and made us pause to rethink the more subtle aspects of our roles as artists and citizens of the planet. While the mask symbolises our new normal, it also tugs at the masks we need to take off and get real. India's artisans need us, her craftsmen and weavers need us and we need to wake up to the need of the hour. For me to be able to combine the incredibly delicate techniques of the pattachitra style of painting with a wearable, protective mask has been deeply satisfying. More so, because profits from the sales of these masks would contribute directly to charity, helping to sustain the art form. A first of its kind project filmed at home with minimal access to equipment also threw light on how beautiful raw can be. And how creative work can be pushed through creative solutions. Behind The Mask is not only a concept - it is a showcasing of real possibility that highlights the very progressive and circular nature of our indigenous wealth. It has the potential of bringing design, functionality and cultural conservation together. It is a step towards tiding over not just this challenging period but can offer a framework of the time to come."

Anita Dongre

Mishra tells us, "We silently observed nature heal itself while human activity was still, majorly at pause. This gave me time to reflect upon myself and contemplate various meanings of the phenomenon—the kind of changes we require in our lifestyles. The sky was blue again and butterflies were back in the garden.Pleasantly idling with my four-year-old daughter amidst work calls and the new virtual ways of living I realised life is much simpler than we think it to be. A human needs not more than to be just nourished, loved and deeply inspired. Recording those personal moments, I felt, I got a chance to observe the privileges life has offered me and in my thoughts, remained those that we hoped to help through this project. To contribute to the local craft community through it, is exceptionally fulfilling."

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!