SHILLONG, Aug 6: KINIHO is today a household name in Meghalaya. It is a repository of fashion melded with the natural silk or Ryndia which today has gone global.
The mover and shaker behind KINIHO, Iba Malai says, “KINIHO is a textile and clothing brand founded in 2016. It was driven by the idea of ‘creating responsibly’. Hence our designs are crafted mindfully by seamlessly blending Eri silk handcrafted textiles. Every piece of KINIHO tells a story of age-old traditions, ancestral weaving knowledge, and lore strongly inspired by the natural surroundings of Meghalaya.”
What sets this venture apart is that Iba’s whole family and extended family are involved in the process. Her mother is a weaver and her aunt is a master trainer. Iba herself studied Business Management from Coimbatore. Realizing that she had a calling for fashion and design, Iba enrolled herself into the JD Institute of Design Bangalore. It was here that she saw how fashion can be linked to the Eri silk (Ryndia) production in her village Umden and to scale it to a different level so that the weavers too improve their earnings. And that’s how KINIHO was born.
On Saturday, Iba opened her new store at Windsor Hall, Upland Road. Commissioner & Secretary of Finance, Cooperation etc., Dr Vijay Kumar inaugurated the new outlet which showcases men’s designer wear in Ryndia.
In his brief address, Kumar said he was delighted to see how the entire village is involved in Eri silk production.
“I have known the weavers of Umden and surrounding villages since 2010 when I was Registrar of Cooperatives. Now you have elevated this craft to different level. As far as your products are concerned — the scarves and stoles — I can say that we wear them with great pride. Even in terms of quality it is world class. You have succeeded in taking the craft from the village to the global stage,” Kumar said, adding that even in the Meghalayan Age store in Delhi, the feedback on the Eri silk products is extraordinary.
Brian Wahlang, Principal of KC Secondary School, who sported one of the KINIHO designer wear said, “The Ryndia is such a lovely fabric. A natural fabric, it is soft and it breathes and therefore one feels nice and cool wearing it and Iba has designed the men’s wear with élan.”
The passion and creativity with which Iba directs the weavers was part of the evening function. “We believe that it is our responsibility to preserve our rich heritage and carry on these traditions through our textile and designs, while at the same time remaining true to our ethics of creating responsibly. Hence, we choose to work with our traditional textile Eri silk also known as Peace Silk. We strongly support and are committed to working closely with our community weavers in Ri-Bhoi,” Iba explained adding that she uses the skills of the weavers to also constantly challenge herself and the local weavers to think beyond the ordinary textile.
Indeed each colour palette and texture embodies a unique story with a narrative deeply inspired by nature, traditions, and folklore of the region.
At its core, KINIHO is an intersection of a modern approach to traditional textile, where traditional methods, innovative weaving styles, and colour blending techniques meet to create the aesthetics.
Iba reiterates, “At the heart of KINIHO is the desire to strive towards a socially and environmentally responsible method of production to deliver impeccable ensembles to our customers.”
The function had a wholesome and traditional ring to it with noted flautist Benedict Hynniewta delighting the audience with a poignant rendition of Sier Lapalang and other tunes.
After the inaugural function, several customers walked in and the products just flew off the shelves. That’s how popular the Ryndia has become and how far it has evolved thanks to designers like Iba.
