ShalinIndia Clothing

Much of the clothing worn in India is still made for individual clients by specialist tailors, or darjis, whose small workshops line the bazaar in every town and city. In contrast to other artisans such as weavers, who were perceived as creators by Hindus, the tailor 'was a cutter, a destroyer', whose practices were regarded as impure.46 Tailoring is highly specialised. As well as an obvious gender division whereby a tailor works for either 'ladies' or 'gents', there are those who specialise in ladies' Western dress, others who make only sari blouses, and others still who specialise in dress for Muslim women, making burqas, frocks and ejar. 'Gents' tailors make either Western dress or Indian dress, typically kurta, salwar kamiz or kurta pyjama. In areas where the use of caste dress is particularly strong, there are tailors for Ahirs, Bharwads, Rabaris, Kharaks, Patels, and so on, who specialise in making the particular garments worn by their client castes.

The most versatile tailors are those who serve the NRI (non-resident Indian) market, as they are called upon to make both desi (of the country, Indian) garments and Western style clothing by an exacting clientele who come armed with fashion and film magazines and mail order catalogues. A noticeable trait among members of the diaspora is to return to Gujarat either for the local marriage season which runs from Diwali to Makar Sankranti, or when a wedding is in the offing in their adopted country.47 They commission gold jewellery, select saris, buy fabric for other clothes and then have numerous cholis, salwar kamiz and Western garments stitched by an NRI specialist. Indian craftsmanship in this respect is unmatched. Although readymade clothes are sold throughout Gujarat, the affordability of tailored garments means that most people still wear custom-made dress. Gujarati dress in all its incarnations is a result of the cumulative input of many skilled technicians; in the network of production that goes from handmade cloth to dress, the tailoring skills of the darji are allied to the craft skills of weavers, dyers, printers and embroiderers whose production is discussed in the chapters that follow.