Kolkata Kettle 5.0, a two-day lifestyle event with Bibi Russell collaborating with the Rotary Club of Calcutta Midtown was held recently in Kolkata. While the first day was showcasing sustainable fashion designed by Bibi and discussing the rich heritage of handicrafts and handlooms in the country, day two was all about honouring artisans and labels who are relentlessly working to uphold the craftsmanship of India. Bibi Russell, who participated on both the days kickstarted the event sharing her take on the handloom section
All images by Krishnungshu GangopadhyayThe global fashion icon then introduced Khaled Husain, a national award winner from Rajasthan, who shows his artistry on saris with real zari work. Khaled showcased a sample of his craftsmanship while Bibi shared her long association with him. He was the first awardee of Kolkata Kettle 5.0
Rashmi Chaudhary, the convenor of Kolkata Kettle, draped the sari by Khaled and urged the attendees of the exhibition to explore the wealth of handloom art India has to offer. Rashmi herself wore an olive green cotton sari, teamed with a crop top and white sneakers, making a case for chic yet sustainable fashion choices
Secretary of Rotary Club of Calcutta Midtown, Radhika Sahni also attended the award ceremony. When asked about the selection process, she spoke about the club’s involvement with the artisans, labels and the products
(L to R) Amrita Sabat of Utkalmrita from Bhubaneswar, who was also a panellist for a discussion of handloom on day one of the exhibition, was also honoured at the event. Women entrepreneurs like Jayshree Nanani of Jam Creation, who works with fabrics like bandhej, patola and paithani, was awarded for her contribution to the textile industry
(L to R) Sameer Dig from Hooghly, who has been creating ripples with his shadow artworks, received an award for his craftsmanship. Vinod Parmar from Gujarat, who works with ajrakh, was also felicitated by the Rotary Club
Kaushik Ghosh of the brand Design Studio, who is also behind designing the first ‘craft kettle’ — the first edition of Kolkata Kettle — was awarded for his artworks in ceramic and wood. He predominantly works with organic colours and also produces eco-print saris
(L to R) Artists Souvik Das and Raj Narayan Halder were also awarded by Bibi Russell
For a last hurrah of the year for Kolkata Kettle, few Rotarians posed for a group photo with Bibi, promising a bigger and better exhibit for season six