From winning a National Award to offering silhouettes which channel ease, Nachiket Barve, believes customization is the key to the future.
By Asmita Aggarwal
Winning the National award for costumes in Tanhaji—The Unsung Warrior has brought to fore the designers versatility though he has designed for Marathi movies before. The journey began when he designed clothes for ads, the first family of films, Bachchans starred in and then there was no looking back. Even though he is playing the lead role in his own life as a father, each day he admits, he is seeing the world through the eyes of his child, and everything seems fresh.
Professionally, after 2019, Barve chose to wait for the physical format, it offered the showmanship he desired, and also realized that the power of timelessness became imperative to harness. There are many verticals to the Barve label, from cocktails, menswear to festive and everyday luxury pret line, the underlined philosophy is to always make the wearer feel good. Women are more sure about what they want, but fashion is also about imagery, as everyone has become a publisher today, as you have a social media account, says Barve.
His line appeals to a quality conscious customer, who is aware of the craftsmanship, indulges in effortless dressing and is a traveller, so the brand is not looking at demographics. I come from a family of doctors, I understood the hardships they faced during the pandemic, and everyone wondered if fashion is really essential? But the truth is it does make you happy and at this time that sentiment takes precedence over everything else, he explains.
From Mulberry silks, to organza, velvets each fabric from the Barve stable comes with an ethereal finish, and its distinct language. The flow of chiffon cant compare to the lusciousness of velvet or the rustle of chiffon. Fabrics add meaning to my silhouettes, which for me are conversation starters, he adds.
Ephemera, his FLWxFDCI line, is a philosophy where time is the biggest luxury and of great value, so whether it is the ebb and flow of tides, flowers blooming and then withering away, meteor showers, moon flowers, the invincible waves, or mindfulness —these concepts have found representation in Barves embroideries and surfaces. Sometimes things that are invisible become potent storytelling. You can’t change the past or plan/predict the future, so enjoy the delicacy of the moment! I have tried to capture those mood uplifters. On another note, everyone talks about wearability and it is the most important aspect of design, thats why you see the rise of separates, he concludes.