Aratrik Dev Varman, Bethany Williams link on 'A Telegram from Tripura' backed by IMG Retail, British Council

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Oct 1, 2018

The British Council and IMG Reliance have joined forces to bring together the Indian designer Aratrik Dev Varman and British designer Bethany Williams to collaborate on "A Telegram from Tripura" to be shown at Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) in February, 2019.

In a project that aims to benefit female textile workers in the north-east of India, fashion designers Varman and Williams will create designs using indigenous textiles from the region and created by workers there reimagined with modern approaches. The project is titled "A Telegram from Tirupa” and will be unveiled at the upcoming edition of LFW next February.

"The project will bring UK designer Bethany Williams and Indian designer Aratrik Dev Varman together to explore new fashion systems and approaches with women textile workers of the north-east region in focus," the Director of the British Council in India, Alan Gemmell, told the Press Trust of India in an interview.

"We want friendship between India and the northeast, in particular by bringing art and culture, and educational opportunities from our country," said Gemmell who also mentioned that the British Council has provided a number of north-eastern women with scholarships. The project is also supported by IMG Reliance, and partnership between the US-based IMG Worldwide and Reliance Industries.

Aratrik Dev Varman grew up in north-east India and runs the label Tilla by Aratrik Dev Varman. The brand was launched in August 2013 and creates clothing, homeware, and art installations.