Let us take you on a colourful adventure on the back of the humble Madras Checks!
Our adventure will begin from the tropical shores of South India, where Madras Checks originated. These iconic textiles wove a rich history and captivated the hearts of people across the world—literally, a rags-to-riches story.
We will trace the journey of this textile from its humble beginnings as cool, comfortable, hand-dyed and woven cotton daily wear to a global phenomenon being sold through luxury boutiques and gracing haute couture runways to this day.
Discover how Madras Checks transcended borders, finding favour in Africa and beyond, becoming a symbol of self-expression, identity and cultural pride and demonstrating once again the enduring power of textiles to connect us across time and cultures.
Join us on this colourful and intriguing journey!
Shani Pillai and Joji Jacob’s roots are in India, they are Kiwis, proud Wellingtonians & honoured to be Friends of Te Papa. This is their seventh presentation to the Friends of Te Papa on heritage textiles, arts and crafts. Shani hails from Malaysia and has a South Indian heritage, while Joji comes from Kerala, India. Both are deeply passionate about their cultural roots and are committed to preserving and sharing their traditions and arts. Their dedication has led them to develop and offer specialized tours to the Indian subcontinent. Their focus lies particularly in textiles, and they are actively involved in reviving and preserving heritage textile-related skills. This involves personally visiting artisans across India, as well as leading tour groups to support and acquire their work. Additionally, they provide funding for various community-based textile revival initiatives in different regions of India.
Photo credits: The Voice Of Fashion, Wikimedia Commons, Micheal Kors, Stanley Milton & Vogue.