Tag: KHADI

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‘Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion, Khadi for Transformation’

The second part of the evening showcased 25 garments in pure khadi, a salute to the spirit of Swadeshi.…reports Asian Lite News

High Commission of India in London, in association with the London School of Trends and INIFD presented a unique showcase of khadi garments on “INDIA DAY” as part of London Fashion Week 2023.

During the Indian freedom struggle this humble, home-spun fabric became a symbol of empowerment as Mahatma Gandhi encouraged the use of khadi as a symbol of nationalism, equality and self-reliance. 

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a passionate advocate of Khadi as a sustainable, transformative fabric for India, both as a symbol of national pride as well as a fashion statement.

High Commissioner Mr Vikram Doraiswami and distinguished guests and international delegates graced this occasion to pay homage to this national symbol of self-reliance as it made this fascinating journey from ‘local’ to ‘global.

This collection was designed and curated by the young INIFD designers- a crew of 12 ladies from different parts of India- who, together with local artisans and weavers, presented an array of fascinating garments with one common link- Khadi.

The first part of the show was a presentation of 40 modern garments designed on the basic principles of deconstruction in a variety of hues and cuts, clever use of embellishments and nuanced detailing.

The second part of the evening showcased 25 garments in pure khadi, a salute to the spirit of Swadeshi.

The show straddling eastern and western philosophies at London Fashion Week, was witnessed by the High Commissioner Mr Vikram K Doraiswami, Deputy High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh, MP Gaggan Mohindra, representatives from the High Commissions of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and a host of other dignitaries, fashion aficionados and international buyers and delegates.

Indian National Institute of Fashion Design and London School of Trends

INIFD & London School of Trends has been fulfilling the promise of bringing Indian handloom, weaves, art and craft on an international platform for the world to experience the rich textile and handicraft history of India.

The INIFD/LST ideology is to teach student designers to create a forward-looking fashion footprint on the bedrock of India’s rich cultural heritage.

INIFD works through a network of 108 centres India and is the only fashion institute in the world to have showcased its students’ creativity at two major fashion capitals of the world -New York for the 7th Season and London for the 8th season – and Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai for last 33 consecutive seasons.

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UN body order against firm for illegally using Khadi brand name

KVIC had argued that “Om Soft Solutions” was indulging in the business of garments by misusing the brand name “Khadi”…reports Asian Lite News.

A recent order by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has barred a Delhi-based firm from using a domain name www.urbankhadi.com, which illegally uses the brand name “Khadi”.

The order by WIPO, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations for brand protection across the world, came on a petition of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

The Administrative Panel of WIPO’s Arbitration and Mediation Center has ruled that the firm “Om Soft Solutions”, owned by one Harsh Gaba, had registered and used the domain name www.urbankhadi.com in “bad faith” and to gain benefit from the goodwill of Khadi, the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises said on Thursday.

KVIC had argued that “Om Soft Solutions” was indulging in the business of garments by misusing the brand name “Khadi”.

The panel lent credence to KVIC’s contentions that “it was a systematic attempt by Mr Harsh Gaba to derive unfair advantage, wrongful commercial gains and to mislead the public into believing that www.urbankhadi.com is an associate of Khadi India.”

“It is evident that the respondent can have no legitimate interest in the disputed domain name…nobody would use the word “Khadi” unless seeking to create an impression of an association with Khadi,” the panel noted.

“….the evidence submitted by the complainant (KVIC) leads to the presumption that the disputed domain name www.urbankhadi.com was registered and used by the respondent in bad faith….the panel orders that the disputed domain name be transferred to the complainant, i.e. KVIC,” the panel ruled, according to the MSME ministry.

The panel categorically rejected the arguments of “Om Soft Solutions” that the word “Khadi” enjoyed no protection and that nobody had an exclusive right to use the name “Khadi”. “…. the complainant (KVIC) is the owner of several KHADI trademark registrations. The complainant is also the owner of trademarks “Khadi” and “Khadi India”…the disputed domain name www.urbankhadi.com includes the trademark of KVIC and is confusingly similar or identical to the trademarks of the complainant (KVIC),” the panel observed.

KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said the WIPO’s order will bolster Khadi’s fight against violation of its brand name not only in India but also globally. He said KVIC will take all measures to protect the identity and global popularity of Khadi. KVIC has registered the trademark “Khadi” in several countries to prevent any misuse of the brand name “Khadi” as it has a direct bearing on the livelihood of our artisans.

The ministry pointed out that KVIC, in recent times, has won several cases against violation of its trademark “Khadi”.

On June 4, Delhi High Court barred a Ghaziabad-based trader JBMR Enterprises from manufacturing and selling counterfeit Khadi Prakritik Paint.

On May 28, Delhi High Court restrained “Khadi Design Council of India” and “Miss India Khadi Foundation” from using “Khadi” brand name.

On May 3, an Arbitration Tribunal in Delhi had said that “Khadi” was not a generic name to be used by private individuals or firms while permanently restraining an individual from using the brand name Khadi.

In March this year, the Delhi High Court had also restrained a firm from using brand name Khadi and the Charkha symbol to sell its products under the name “IWEARKHADI”.

KVIC in the last few years has acted tough against such violators.

So far KVIC has issued legal notices to over 1,000 private firms including Fabindia for misusing its brand name and selling products under the name of Khadi. KVIC has sought damages to the tune of Rs 500 crore from Fabindia which is pending before the Mumbai High Court. (INN)

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