Unveiling Purisai at London Fashion Week: Vino Supraja's Mesmerizing Latest Collection

When fashion and culture intertwine, the result is often something extraordinary. This September, at London Fashion Week, Vino showcased her latest additions to the Purisai collection; a mesmerizing homage to the vibrant street theatre of Tamil Nadu. The collection pays tribute to Therukoothu's enchanting costumes and brings the spirit of this traditional art to the modern runway. Let’s take a look at the collection, the show, and some behind the scenes of how it all came together!

The inspiration

Vino’s decision to base her runway collection on Therukoothu was deeply personal and profoundly rooted in her upbringing. Therukoothu had been an integral part of her childhood, a cultural pearl that shaped her perspective on art, storytelling, and tradition. For Vino, Therukoothu is not merely a performance but a vibrant tapestry of memories and cultural heritage that she wanted to showcase to the world from London Fashion Week. 

‘Purisai is a collection close to my heart. These are my roots, I’m talking here about my childhood, my life.’ Says Vino.

 On Therukoothu’s endurance through the years as an art form, ‘To see so many legends in this field is really miraculous, I really wanted to showcase to the world where I’m coming from. I really wanted to showcase these artists to the world.’

The music

 At the heart of every memorable fashion show lies the music. It sets the mood and transports the audience into the designer's world. For the Purisai collection, the music was not just an accompaniment; it was a pivotal part of the performance. What made it extra special was that the music for the show was not pre-recorded, but specially crafted in a studio with genuine Therukoothu musicians, staying faithful to the centuries-old musical techniques that define traditional Therukoothu performances.

 ‘We thought the music should be authentic, so we got the actual Therukoothu musicians to come and record in a studio. It was such an experience, the memory of making this collection is something I will cherish forever.’- Vino Supraja

 You can hear more from Vino about the musical process here:

The performance

We were honoured to have the Therukoothu dance performed by the extremely talented Vaanmadhi Jagan. Trained by the venerable Purisai Kannappa Sambandhan Ayya, Vaanmadhi was able to display the art of Therukoothu in all its splendour through graceful movement and traditional dress. The authenticity of the music, the spectacular costume and Vaanmadhi’s skill combined to give the audience a wonderful opener to the show. Followed by the models walking the stage, the Therukoothu performance from Vaanmadhi set the scene for what was a show and a collection centred around the fusion of traditional art with contemporary fashion.

On choosing a live performance to open the show, Vino says,

‘I thought I should showcase a performer wearing the costume and performing in front of the audience before the models walk the runway wearing the garments so the audience can get to see the inspiration first and feel where each element of the design has come from’.

The collection

Without further ado, let us introduce you to the collection itself. Purisai for London Fashion Week is a stunning collection of made to order garments featuring bold, monochromatic patterns teamed with bright colourways and striking hand drawn designs. In amongst these visual delights is a real variety of styles from red carpet looks to chic three-piece ensembles.

With the entire collection made from organic cotton, it boasts a deeply creative fusion of tradition and contemporary fashion that uphold’s Vino Supraja’s ethos of sustainability and ethics.

To embrace tradition, sustainability, and artistic expression in one remarkable fashion collection, you can shop the exclusive collection here. As these pieces are made to order, you can experience the magic of Therukoothu in a way that is uniquely yours.

We’d love to know what you think of Vino Supraja’s LFW collection. You can get in touch with us any time on social media or by email. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the latest in sustainable and ethical fashion from Vino Supraja.