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Vishal Khairnar
इस खबर को सुनने के लिये प्ले बटन को दबाएं।
Vivek Karunakaran Rediscovers His Roots Through ‘IDAM’ at the Chettinad Heritage Festival
At the fourth edition of the Chettinad Heritage Festival held recently in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, fashion designer Vivek Karunakaran took a symbolic bow in a red palazzo-veshti hybrid paired with a double-breasted jacket. Embroidered jasmine flowers trailed along the sleeve—small but powerful details that told a deeper story.
“The jasmine appliqué runs from wrist to elbow, a traditional Tamil unit of length called muzham. It reflects how flower-sellers hold jasmine strands,” explains the Chennai-based designer. “The motifs on the back of another jacket mirror the flowers women wear in their plaits.”
These personal and cultural markers formed the emotional core of his new collection, ‘IDAM’, which translates to “a place where you belong” in Tamil.
Celebrating the Self and the South
After 18 years of his eponymous label, Karunakaran conceived IDAM as an ode to his city and state — Chennai and Tamil Nadu. “It is a celebration of its language, its history, and the wisdom that flows through its very soul,” he says.
The presentation took place at Chidambara Vilas, a 118-year-old Chettiar mansion, where ornate teak pillars and Athangudi tiled floors amplified the spirit of homecoming.
Born in Thiruvananthapuram and trained at NIFT Chennai, Karunakaran has always sought to elevate South Indian design narratives. “It’s about moving beyond the stereotypical idli-sambar-temples image and showcasing the depth of our aesthetic heritage,” he emphasizes.
A Southern Accent in Modern Form
The IDAM collection draws richly from Tamil Nadu’s architecture, textiles, and philosophy. The red-and-white palette mirrors the stripes of the region’s temple walls. Jasmine motifs, Madras checks, and Tamil script appliqué bring local icons to life in new textures and silhouettes.
Traditional veshtis—often seen as domestic or political attire—were reimagined as luxurious silk drapes with Kanjeevaram borders, organza temple motifs, and embroidered cutwork edges. “I wanted to reintroduce the veshti as something elegant, formal, and globally relevant,” says Karunakaran. “Imagine pairing it with a trench coat or a bandhgala on the red carpet.”
With IDAM, Karunakaran delivers a masterclass in cultural revivalism—a contemporary fashion lexicon deeply rooted in southern identity.
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