Chor Bazaar – 21st Century Indian Fashion

Chor Bazaar are a Brooklyn-based designer label with solid roots in India and they’re well on their way to dispelling the misconception that India has little to offer other than their traditions and religion, and I’ll tell you how…

No matter how open minded you may think yourself, the truth is the world (with no small contribution from the media) happen to apply cultural stereotypes to just about every country out there. For instance there are many Americans who have never travelled outside their own borders, or at least no further than Tijuana and yet they still appear to think that Britain still ride around on horses wearing bowler hats and pin stripe suits whilst drinking cups of tea from bone china cups. The same ethos applies to India, most Western designers (especially those in fashion) have been stuck with the same ideas since the 1960s, mandalas, multi-limbed and animal-headed deities, you know the score, the same old ideas rehashed ad-infinitum.

Chor Bazaar offer a selection of highly original t-shirts at their on-line store www.cbaz.com, that should at least raise a few eyebrows, perhaps there’s change in the air, following the success of the multi Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, more and more people around the world have been drawn in by the radical cultural, sociological and technological changes now happening in India. Chor Bazaar are ready and set to capitalise on this new wave of enthusiasm for Indian identity and will push the Zeitgeist as far as they can, their first offerings certainly reflect their modern, contemporary and highly individualistic approach to fashion design.

All of Chor Bazaar’s graphics are designed and silk screened in their Brooklyn, workshop. Most of their t-shirts are fashion-fit, vintage soft, 100% ring-spun cotton. The team at CB include their designer Umang, in fact Chor Bazaar’s roots stem from his RISD architecture thesis which offered a redefinition of Hindu Architecture for first generation Indians in the United States. Yash, Umang’s brother is the businessman behind the company, they shared their father’s dream of promoting positive and relevant Indian culture in America, and could see immediately how the idea of an Indian-fusion t-shirt collection could do just that.

The future is here, the future is now, it stretches across continents from the USA to India and it’s filled with surprises, fusing cultures, styles and attitudes in a whole new way – read on to see just how different the real India is…

Muh Kala T-Shirt

This design is based upon a familiar sight on India’s streets and highways, it’s the back of a funky Indian truck, many of which are elaborately decorated in painted murals, sculptures and icons from across the spectrum of Indian culture. Take a look at this group at Flickr for more amazing Indian truck pictures for an idea of how far some of the owners will go to make an impression! The Muh Kala t-shirt for men also sports a rather snazzy logo motif on the back (as do all their tees) and is available for a very reasonable $20.

Ambassador T-Shirt

The Ambassador t-shirt continues the transportation theme, this time featuring another familiar sight in India (although not as familiar as it was in the past), built by the Hindustan Motors Ltd., India’s first car manufacturer who started production in 1942. In the course of time they have become a vast corporation, in 1957 they began to produce The Ambassador, popularly used as taxi cabs and described by some as the “Cadillac of India”. They certainly have earned a warm place in the hearts of this India’s society. This is a slice of real retro Indian culture, the design is based on an old Morris Oxford (in fact they used the same press plates as Morris for many years) but with modern tastes moving away from the traditional (the Ambassador was last remodelled in 1992), many drivers in India have opted for rival manufacturers and imports much like consumers have done so in British and Russian car markets. This tee is available for men and women again at just $20.

Cyber Paisley T-Shirt

Blending two extremes of Indian society, the tradition of the textiles industry with India’s burgeoning technocracy, technology and tradition can work hand in hand, and here’s the proof! This highly unique design displays a great confidence both technically and as an interpretive iconography for the future. A wonderful take on the traditional culture of India, the Cyber Paisley tee is available for both men and women priced at $20.

India Stamp T-Shirt

See the Ashoka lions roar, you can almost touch the history in this one, spanning the centuries from the times of (perhaps one of the greatest leaders in history) Ashoka The Great, through the despotic tyranny of the British Raj, right up to the present day and India’s modern society, modern people and uniquely heartfelt nostalgia for their past and great hope for the future. This design emits a great deal of pride in India with a simple yet bold design, I would really like to see this image printed a lot larger as as t-shirt, however it’s a powerful tee all the same. The India Stamp tee is available for both men and women priced at $20.

See the rest of this delightful collection at Chor Bazaar plus make sure to visit their blog for all the latest updates, definitely worth broadening your horizons!