Lamaan

Mappila culture has long been shaped by intertwined Sufi traditions and Gulf influences. lamaan reflects on how Gulf aesthetics have reshaped traditional Mappila women’s attire—from richly ornamented garments such as pulli thattam and pulli thuni to the minimalist black pardha.

The work juxtaposes the vibrancy and individuality of historical dress with the uniform visual language introduced through Gulf-influenced fashion, examining how this transition impacts identity, aesthetics, and notions of visual attraction.

Large cardboard boxes carried home by Gulf migrants become symbolic “cultural exchange boxes”—vessels through which new fashions, habits, and digital-era sensibilities travel across borders, contributing to the ongoing reinvention of Mappila visual culture.