Onam is more than a fortnight away, but the festival has already begun months ago for Rouka, the fashion store for Kerala's traditional ensembles. Rouka has been in the business for quite some time now and is popular among fashionistas keen on Kerala's quintessential costume-the white fabric laced with kasavu. The label is thus known for blending tradition with flamboyance.
"Pitching on timeless design, Rouka gives Kerala sari its modern version. It has come a long way in attaining its present grace and unique charm," says Sreejith and accounts how the kasavu, a fabric component weaved out of fine metallic yarn was limited to 'mundu' meant for men and later for 'set mundu' for women. "Kasavu was embedded much later on saris and we now at Rouka are exploring the style quotient of Kerala saris in our endeavour to drape women lending them a stylish look and not featuring them as the epochal 'Malayali Mankas'", says Sreejith.
For this uncanny mix, the saris are embellished with traditional floral applique and textile art. Apart from reworking saris to provide it modern character, sustainability is also taken into account. "These saris are not envisioned as a fabric to be worn only on rare auspicious occasions but are created as a dress that can be used and reused regularly," says Sreejith, and adds that working women can add it as a wardrobe staple among office-wears.
As the sophisticated design and ethical notions set Rouka saris apart from the rest of its league, they require some time to be made available to the customers as they are handloom-made and undergo diligent and intricate work of artisans.
Rouka has themed its traditional-modern apparel of Kerala this time as 'Onam of now'. And, a Kerala sari from Rouka takes five to six days to be weaved and the queries and Onam shopping started in June itself. "Onam preparations are more religiously pursued by expatriates and Keralites residing in states outside Kerala. Many from Metros like Mumbai and Delhi buy premium Rouka saris as souvenirs. What attracts them is the range of designs which includes 'Kattikkara' in 'munthani' as well as the same for the full body of the ensemble.
The thread count of 80 has never been compromised by Rouka over the years. In fabrics thread count is a measure that determines the quality. Thread count around 200 is considered a good quality material. And 80 to 100 is said to be of the finest quality. Sreejith claims that the finesse of Rouka saris has always been the prime focus. The saris are promoted mainly through the website www.shoprouka.com. The products are also available at Rouka store at Valanjamabalam in Kochi.
