Koothu
Dublin Core
Title
Koothu
Subject
Fashion
Description
I am Raajadharshini, a Tamil-born fashion image maker based in London.
My style revolves around treading a line artfully, between documentary, fashion and portraiture. I focus my practice on exploring fashion as a zeitgeist by capturing a variety of raw emotions, real people, communities, and human connections. What empowers my work is the strong sense of vibrant colours and energy that reflect my cultural background.
I want to create work that challenges mainstream representation in fashion - where fashion doesn’t seem very alienating to people.
In terms of fashion imagery, showcasing South Asia is still a small niche that barely has any authentic light to it. India is known for its manufacturing, and our artisanal textile skills are constantly exploited by big names in fashion. But our people are barely seen in the mainstream industry. The so-called 'Indian aesthetics' are often picked up for campaigns and models are used as tokens, but we barely see representation in the background. Very rarely are brown stories and lifestyles discussed. As the fashion world slowly evokes conversations about inclusivity and representation, My project “Koothu” celebrates my background - the people of Tamil Nadu, their lifestyle, clothing, and culture in an effort to anchor my community in contemporary visual culture and fashion imagery. -Frames of real houses and real people in Tamil Nadu that oscillate between youth, joy, leisure, and inner conflicts of characters placed against the vibrancy and chaos of the State.
•
•
“I have felt invisible quite a many times. Does everyone see me? My sister, friend, and neighbours ask me the same question. We see each other, I am not sure about the world. Representation can mean many things, for me. I grew up in Tamil Nadu, a state in India. It is hot year around, rice is our holy grail, the streets are our playgrounds, and street dogs are our confidantes. As I sit in my apartment in London, attempting to articulate the essence of my childhood to my friends from the West, I always fall short. We are from very different worlds.
The chromatic brilliance of simple frames, the chaotic energy of the place, and the most beautiful people, are the only beauty I used to know. Handmade textiles to homegrown food. My celebration and joy, the little leisure of running up to the "pori vandi", a mobile cart with fresh puffed rice and peanut, running up to the "balloon kaar", the man selling all kinds of balloons on a big board on his shoulders, vegetable vendors cycling outside my door, so many lives around me enriching mine”
My style revolves around treading a line artfully, between documentary, fashion and portraiture. I focus my practice on exploring fashion as a zeitgeist by capturing a variety of raw emotions, real people, communities, and human connections. What empowers my work is the strong sense of vibrant colours and energy that reflect my cultural background.
I want to create work that challenges mainstream representation in fashion - where fashion doesn’t seem very alienating to people.
In terms of fashion imagery, showcasing South Asia is still a small niche that barely has any authentic light to it. India is known for its manufacturing, and our artisanal textile skills are constantly exploited by big names in fashion. But our people are barely seen in the mainstream industry. The so-called 'Indian aesthetics' are often picked up for campaigns and models are used as tokens, but we barely see representation in the background. Very rarely are brown stories and lifestyles discussed. As the fashion world slowly evokes conversations about inclusivity and representation, My project “Koothu” celebrates my background - the people of Tamil Nadu, their lifestyle, clothing, and culture in an effort to anchor my community in contemporary visual culture and fashion imagery. -Frames of real houses and real people in Tamil Nadu that oscillate between youth, joy, leisure, and inner conflicts of characters placed against the vibrancy and chaos of the State.
•
•
“I have felt invisible quite a many times. Does everyone see me? My sister, friend, and neighbours ask me the same question. We see each other, I am not sure about the world. Representation can mean many things, for me. I grew up in Tamil Nadu, a state in India. It is hot year around, rice is our holy grail, the streets are our playgrounds, and street dogs are our confidantes. As I sit in my apartment in London, attempting to articulate the essence of my childhood to my friends from the West, I always fall short. We are from very different worlds.
The chromatic brilliance of simple frames, the chaotic energy of the place, and the most beautiful people, are the only beauty I used to know. Handmade textiles to homegrown food. My celebration and joy, the little leisure of running up to the "pori vandi", a mobile cart with fresh puffed rice and peanut, running up to the "balloon kaar", the man selling all kinds of balloons on a big board on his shoulders, vegetable vendors cycling outside my door, so many lives around me enriching mine”
Creator
Raajadharshini
Publisher
Self
Date
2022
Book Item Type Metadata
Dimensions
30.5 X 24.5 X 1
Number of Pages
38
Place of Publication
Chennai, India
Designer
-
Editor
-
Printer
-
ISBN
-
Website
https://www.instagram.com/mean_kaari/
Where to buy
Directly from me - through email (preorder only)
raajadharshini.work@gmail.com
raajadharshini.work@gmail.com
Links to reviews
https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/stories/ma-fashion-communication-22-share-fashions-state-of-mind-at-the-lethaby
https://www.vogue.in/fashion/content/on-international-womens-day-were-celebrating-the-south-asian-female-photographers-leading-the-conversation
https://www.vogue.in/fashion/content/on-international-womens-day-were-celebrating-the-south-asian-female-photographers-leading-the-conversation
Citation
Raajadharshini, “Koothu,” Photo Book Cafe Archive, accessed May 9, 2025, https://www.photobookcafe-archive.co.uk/items/show/647.