Cauvery flows into Delhi

Dressed in an all-black ensemble with minimal make-up,a huge ring on a finger and dull golden shoes on her feet,Bengaluru-based designer Deepika Govind has a simple,linear and almost boring sartorial style. Five minutes into a conversation with her,it also becomes clear that she is easily distracted and,in a single breath,can talk about Ikat saris,Chinese Premier Hu Jintao’s India visit,and iced tea. Yet,in her fashion sensibilities,there is hardly any distraction. Her affair with textiles and the design world of South India is rock steady.

Her latest collection,titled The Woman in Blue Checks: Cauvery’s Tale ,was showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai last month,and is now on display at her Khan Market store in Delhi. The range is all about checks — from Chettinad to Venkatgiri to Kanchi. Dresses,tunics,saris,blouses,suits,kurtas,stoles and T-shirts are all on offer in colours ranging from white and blue to red,pink and green.

The best part about the collection is that Govind has brought a remote Karnataka village,Ilkal,to the fore. The checks that are so prominent in her collection are from this tiny village. “Very few people know that Maratha warrior Shivaji’s mother started weaving this sari. The loom is very simple and the sari had some warrior motifs on it traditionally,” says Govind.

While she has tip-toed between modernity and tradition —with the traditional checks even being turned into stylish dresses — the silhouettes might not be as appealing. Dull droopy sleeves or pointy short hemlines on dresses,the shapes of the garments are problematic. Also the Coorgi sari,a unique back-pleating sari,is not available at the store. “I thought there would be no takers for it in Delhi,” says the designer.