The Textile Label's Strategy: Selling British Mill-Produced Fabrics to Indian Consumers
In the heart of Bengaluru, the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) is currently hosting an intriguing exhibition that delves into the fascinating world of textile labels in colonial India. Entitled "Ticket Tika Chaap: The Art of the Trademark in the Indo-British Textile", this exhibition showcases nearly 300 chromolithographed labels, historical photographs, printed ephemera, and artwork, offering a captivating journey through time.
During the colonial period, textile labels served a crucial role in shaping trust and desire in the Indo-British textile market. They provided distinct markers of identity, authenticity, and cultural symbolism that connected Indian textiles both locally and internationally.
These labels and associated imagery inspired recognizability and excitement around the textiles, reinforcing consumer trust and aspiration in an era when Indian products were competing with British industrial goods. Visual elements such as Hindu deities, Mughal architecture, British royals, and alpine scenes were used on the labels to signify quality, authenticity, and aspiration.
The labels were more than just information; they were about influence, mirroring the anxieties and ambitions of their time. They fostered desire by associating textiles with exoticism, craftsmanship, and nationalist sentiments. In essence, they operated as semiotic tools that communicated a textile’s provenance, quality, and cultural meaning, thereby shaping both trust in authenticity and desire for the exotic and prestigious Indian textile artifice within the colonial and British markets.
Beyond commerce, these labels became symbols of resistance and identity, linking textiles to broader socio-political movements. For instance, women’s adoption of handspun or Khadi dupattas during nationalist movements reinforced textiles not just as commodities but as carriers of political and cultural trust.
Fast forward to the present day, and labels still assert where a garment was made, by whom, and for what kind of body. However, in the context of fast fashion, the language of trust in labels has been rebranded. Sleek typography, minimalist logos, and eco-certifications are the new 'chaaps' in fast fashion, intended to reassure consumers about the ethics, desirability, and worth of their purchases.
Yet, the text on the label is no longer invisible as consumers grow more conscious of the hands behind their clothes. The exhibition at MAP serves as a poignant reminder of this history, inviting us to reflect on the evolution of textile labels and their role in shaping our relationship with clothing.
"Ticket Tika Chaap: The Art of the Trademark in the Indo-British Textile" is a must-visit for anyone interested in the intersection of commerce, culture, and colonial politics. The exhibition will be on display at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru, until November 2nd, 2025. To learn more, visit map-india.org.
In the realm of fashion-and-beauty, modern labels on garments now highlight the origin, maker, and intended wearer, echoing the historical practice in colonial India. Similar to the chromolithographed labels showcased in the exhibition "Ticket Tika Chaap: The Art of the Trademark in the Indo-British Textile," these contemporary labels serve as symbolic tools, shaping consumer desire and trust.
The historical importance of textile labels in colonial India reached beyond the confines of commerce, stretching into the realms of education-and-self-development and home-and-garden, as their role in fostering nationalist sentiments and socio-political movements became apparent.
