100 Pipers Legacy Project weaves the story of India with their Limited-Edition Packs

In 2019, Seagram’s 100 Pipers started The Legacy Project to support India’s endangered arts and help artist communities thrive. This project stems from the brand’s philosophy of ‘Be Remembered For Good’. This festive season, The Legacy Project continues with its endeavour. In 2020, the spotlight is on India’s handmade textile arts which have been adorned on a series of Limited Edition packs that showcase weaves from across the country. There are five distinct designs, each of which represents one unique art form – Phulkari form North, Gara from West, Bengal Weave from East, Kalamkari from South and Maheshwari from Central India. In order to further amplify the message, Seagram’s 100 Pipers has collaborated with ‘India’s Textile Warriors’ – people who have dedicated their lives towards preserving these arts. Check out the beautiful film that proudly showcases the perfect blend of art with packaging. Each design is a reflection of the artist’s version of what goodness means to them. Let’s get into detail about the art forms and the artists that curated these beautiful art packaging.  Phulkari Embroidery is a 19th century art form that has the use of colourful darn stitching. This piece has been curated by Kirandeep Kaur & Harinder Singh who have been working towards reviving this art & mobilizing the rural women of Punjab towards progress and self-reliance for nearly two decades now.  Gara Embroidery is a central Asian art form that found its way into India in the 8thcentury. This piece has been created by Zenobia Davar who has been practising Gara embroidery for years now along with teaching this skill in workshops with the aim of keeping it alive.  Bengal Weave originated in a village called Dhaniakhali. The origins of the weave dates back to 1935. This piece was curated by Bappaditya Biswas, winner of the UNESCO Seal of Excellence, who has been striving for years to improve the condition of the local weaving community. He’s currently working with weavers at Phulia who have suffered a double blow owing to the pandemic and Cyclone Amphan.  Kalamkari is a type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This piece has been created by Mamta Reddy, who is an award-winning artist known for her free hand Kalamkari drawings on woven fabric. Her Kalam Creations Artisans society supports several artists and their families.  Finally, Maheshwari is a tradition of weaving in the ancient temple town of Maheshwar, which dates back to the 5th century. This piece has been curated by Sally Holkar who is the driving force behind WomenWeave, that has been instrumental in reviving the Maheshwari art form. Her endeavours spurred the growth of the local textile industry and turned the Maheshwari sari into a popular form of handloom. 100 Pipers Legacy Project is something to be admired and appreciated. This doesn’t just give a platform to the artists that are striving to save centuries of Indian heritage and pass it on to future generations, but also gives them the due recognition they deserve. This is a partnered post.