Purity meets glamour in a line crafted out of optic fibre, glass shards, polymers and PVC, as Amit Aggarwal readies to launch menswear
By Asmita Aggarwal
He likes to take the road less travelled even when he knows that sometimes without a map you can get lost in the wilderness. But maybe thats what makes it exciting for Amit Aggarwal, who from last year shooting his fashion film underwater, decided to go to the uninhabited Nubra valley, Leh with an almost 50 member team, (15 flew from the capital) to capture nature at its best.
Heres the surprise - he is also a poet who has a way with words! Paying tribute to the human spirit and its resilience in his film capturing the barren beauty of life in the pandemic and the valley. Evoking the need for greater connection with oneself which in the end takes you through the proverbial tunnel towards the light.
Interestingly, as you look for a whiff of something unique; the daunting landscape of things matters the most. The idea for the ICW 2021 line was to celebrate the purity of air, water and earth and there is no other place that is as pure as Ladakh, so the 6-day long sojourn was both metaphorically and literally revealing.
As one navigates the highest motor able pass in Khardung, gateway to the Nubra and Shyok Valley, if you can counter the drop in oxygen, you will enjoy the valley of flowers replete with pristine beauty. It is a story of human will and survival, a tale you pass on to your grandchildren. For Amit, the narrative is of great brevity in a fashion film, but so is the pressing need to strike a balance between storytelling and an ingenious product. So it is not just about endearing stories that you tell on instagram about your personal journeys, but it must translate to innovative design.
Not one to back out of something that can change the way we look at couture an entire outfit has been crafted out of glass fibre, where shards of glass were used and had to be handled with gloves to avoid injury. These are one of the concept oriented pieces that we do, says Amit. But he has been an experimental designer whos brand DNA is about texturisation so surfaces become the mainstay. From optic fibre that has been incorporated, rubber cords, to PVC and polymers being added he has taken it a step further by heat moulding it and hand painting, elevating it to the level of haute couture.
Add to this mix indigenous embroidery, with a sense of movement, like a gust of wind or a float in the water that has been executed using industrial materials. On the digital front, Amit has been launching mini campaigns with a purpose to engage with his clients, but even though you can sell couture online, personalisation is mandatory. It is followed by video calls and getting the perfect colour as a picture is not enough to make a decision. Many of my clients still want the touch and feel which I encourage as it is a big day and you want to make the right choice, he adds.
His advice to clients is to invest in pieces that you can reuse, suit your personality and dont buy off the mannequin. You should mix and match an Amit Aggarwal blouse and sari, as all the pieces have been cut from different fabrics giving you an undeniable variety. I always keep my own wardrobe simple, I make alterations as I go along the way to the clothes I love, and with any weight fluctuations I am able to adjust accordingly by adding or removing a panel. That way I ensure longevity, for my clients there is always the option of getting us your old piece and we salvage it and create a new one, he concludes.