Text by Shirin Mehta. Photographs by Mallika Chandra and Asad Sheikh.
One of the finalists of the fourth edition of the Circular Design Challenge (CDC) at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week, Chamar by Sudheer Rajbhar, stood out for its innovative gender-neutral handbags, backpacks and belts – all fashioned out of recycled rubber gathered from discarded tyres. Handcrafted by Dharavi-based leatherworkers and cobblers – who belong to the Dalit community and were hit hard by the Maharashtra state government’s controversial 2015 beef ban – the products showcase their often-unacknowledged crafts heritage.
At the heart of Chamar is the quest to provide a source of livelihood to an oppressed, under-represented artisan community and bring them into the mainstream. The collaboration brings forth a set of unique and cruelty-free utilitarian offerings that cuts across seasons,…