‘Motif’ated by the Valley

She speaks softly, in measured tones. Her voice comes alive as she passionately sketches a vivid image of her homeland through her narrative. That’s why Bounipun is an apt name. It sounds exotic and gentle, and while you grapple with the pronunciation and meaning, every Kashmiri can instantly identify with this word. For it symbolises the pride of Kashmir: the Chinar leaf — a beautiful symbol that is omnipresent all over the state.

And there is no better way to pay tribute to your childhood memories, then to create a collection around them. That’s what this Kashmiri couple Zubair and Renni Kirmani have attempted to do and rather successfully. They have embedded this Chinar leaf motif all through their creations, a creative process that has led to them being declared winners of the mens wear collection of the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize, India, Pakistan and Middle East regional final.

Ask Renni what this prestigious award means to the couple and she says, “We have always worked as artistes as opposed to aiming for commercial success. For us, Bounipun is a means of returning to our roots and in turn redefining them for the global world,” she says. The designer, who has always maintained a low profile, while her more famous husband Zubair Kirmani has earned accolades, is now getting accustomed to the limelight. “I feel more responsible now in terms of how I express myself on behalf of the brand. Otherwise, very little has changed,” says the articulate lady who chooses her words with care.

Bounipun has redefined mens wear and has extensively promoted Kashmiri artisans to project a colourful tapestry of Kashmiri history. But while this tale may sound like a breezy success story, the challenges have been a plenty. “We partly operate in Kashmir and Delhi too. We have artisans from Kashmir but given that Kashmir is a politically disputed city, we hire technicians from Delhi to complete our orders. In fact, we had a store there in 2012, but it got destroyed in 2014 in the floods The canvas is from Kashmir and the stories are depicted through artisans from there,” reveals Renni, who hopes to project the cultural vibrancy of her state on an international platform through her work, for the finals that will be held in London in 2017.

Renni and Zubair work cohesively and in tandem with each other. “This has been an emotional journey for us as we are working for Kashmir, from Kashmir and out of Kashmir,” she passionately states. Ask her how it feels to work along with her hubby and she says, “We are trying to portray our emotions in a realistic manner. This has definitely been a journey for me. Both of us are emotional. I am expressive; he is quieter and together we are giving a voice to our collection. But there is one thing I believe that you should not bring your work home. We don’t do that now. Because you are dealing with marriage at work and at home.”

So how does the couple unwind “We catch up with friends and complete household chores,” she says matter of factly. It is this ability to easily slip into anonymity, that makes Renni Kirmani a woman of true substance.