Known as 'Kota queen', Vidhi Singhania has been quietly reviving Rajasthan's kota weave to give it a new lease of life. ''Rajasthan Heritage Week mirrors my resolve to promote the state's textiles and crafts, providing visibility to weavers and their body of work'' she told me a fortnight before her showcase. ''From graph making and yarn dying to the finishing, everything is in-house; in fact mostly done by women of the household — RHW is a huge morale booster for these weavers. Moreover, they are exposed to designers who can use the expertise in their collections, and keep their looms busy through the year.''

So it's no wonder I was looking forward to viewing her show titled 'Mharo Des — Rajasthan'. As the first line of saris came out to the soundtrack of classic Rajasthani music, the impression was how the contemporary aesthetic that characterises her label was beautifully steeped in centuries-old textile tradition. The entire collection was handcrafted using different techniques with kota doria — from foil printing to leheriya, gota patti, fine embroidery and dori work. What's interesting was the way kota doria was weaved with dupion, silk and velvet. I loved the assortment of lightweight, stylishly draped saris, worn with stunning jewellery; it could be a part of any girl's dream trousseau. Clearly, Vidhi Singhania would never limit her ladies.

— JASMEEN DUGAL