Roopa Pemmaraju continues to combine modern silhouettes with traditional craftsmanship for the summer garden collection. Sustainability and social responsibility remain at the forefront for Roopa using recycled and locally sourced cottons and silk. Roopa’s new collection delves deep into the power of the women and features a wide range of garments ranging from unique skirts to luxury blouses to ruffle maxi skirts. Each garment is handcrafted by our team of skilled artisans and cut from the finest silks and cottons. One of the biggest inspirations that went into our Summer Garden collection is the natural beauty and diversity of Indian summer flowers. Showcased through our hand embroidery, patterns, and colors, the summer flowers that dot the Indian coastline and bring life to the many gardens around the region have a profound impact on the collection. In this article we are going to go deeper into the inspiration behind the Neel collection/accessories.
The combination of deep blue hues and white seen in the unique skirts, luxury blouses, and beautiful dresses/skirts are inspired by eastern pottery. Dating back to the seventh century and perfected by the thirteenth century, these beautiful pieces of pottery were hand decorated by skilled artisans using only a brush to create intricate patterns. These artists, like us, were inspired by the beauty of nature and showcased beautiful details seen around them in every piece of pottery.
The Australian Waratah flower serves as the primary floral inspiration behind these garments, and is the primary focal point of the pattern on all of our Neel garments. The Waratah is one of Australia’s most iconic flowers, and an inspiration for many European artists in the 18th and 19th century. You can see this flower anywhere from vases to stained glass windows. It was only fitting that we used one of the most iconic and unique flowers of the Indo-Australian region in a collection that showcases its natural beauty. This flower takes center stage in the Neel Hand Embroidered T-shirt Blouse, but can also be seen in many other garments such as Neel Ruffle Maxi Skirt and the Neel Oversized Blouse. The flower is also seen in the logo as well but in it’s more common red color.
Another element that is seen in the our Neel Print garments is the Indian Parakeet that stands to both sides of the Australian Waratah Flower. The Indian Parakeet (also known as the Ring-Necked Parakeet). The Indian Parakeet is known for its green color but variations of violet, yellow, and blue (as seen in the Neel Garments). The Indian Parakeet also serves as a recurring theme in Indian mythology. Associated with Kama, the God of Love. The parakeet’s red beak is representative to the red earth before the rain, while the green feathers are representative to the green earth after the rains. The color red also represents unfulfilled desire, full of yearning, while green is also representative to fulfilled desire, full of joy. Kama is most often depicted as riding a parrot. As seen in many south Indian temples, the Goddess Kama is holding a parrot in her hand. The goddess Meenakshi, the “Fish-eyed” One is often depicted being accompanied by a bird, usually an Indian Parakeet. The Indian Parakeet is not just seen in the Neel Garments but also in the Parakeet Embroidered Tassel Mask.
While eastern pottery, the Waratah flower, and the Indian Parakeet are the inspiration behind the Neel items, our collections spans so much further. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of Indian wild flowers in a bouquet of beauty, that can only be experienced inside an Indian garden. Indian botanic gardens differ from American botanic gardens through the way it’s created. Random seeds are spread throughout the soil to create a collection of differing colors that contrast perfectly. This inspires the beautiful patterns and bold colors that give our unique skirts, luxury blouses, and Sari Style Maxi dresses their unique image. Shop the collection to shop our Neel items and more from the Summer Garden collection.
