Pankaj and Nidhi take a motif-less route in couture, not courting either zardosi nor flora and fauna
By Asmita Aggarwal
The world some say has changed irrevocably, maybe it will never go back to what it was and some believe even if it does, they prefer to embrace this new change wholeheartedly.
Designers have learnt many valuable lessons, like the live show may get immediate thumping reactions, physical shows have great energy but the tables have turned and now what matters is how you shoot the content. The texture and detailing, which is impossible to miss in a fashion film, plus, you can display the hard work and also control the lighting. Pankaj and Nidhi are in full agreement with this new format, also because when the domestic market was hit, exports helped them pay salaries with this online communication.
The beauty of the husband and wife team is that Nidhi is the practical one and never lets Pankaj foray too far into the fantasy world. She believes couture must be pragmatic, wearable and really looks at what she would like to buy —young and intelligent but controlled in many ways. This helps them stay grounded, and never do they let the silhouette or aesthetic overpower the ensemble. We want more young girls to adopt our couture, as we have established ourselves somewhat you can say modestly in the prêt market, this new arena of couture is both exciting and challenging, says Pankaj.
The pandemic was a wakeup call for most designers to spruce up their online presence, most importantly e-commerce, with attractive price points, minus the intimidation, offering sharper and tighter collections. Every stitch counts and every cut of the fabric is important now, says Pankaj. Leaving forts and fortresses behind and not opting for luxury five star hotels, they chose a studio instead, to be able to create a modern space to mirror their edgy, contemporary look.
The ICW 2021 line is motifless and concentrates on a play of textures, abandoning the constant need for phool-pattis and bootis. We are not selling a story, and neither are we trying to romanticise, what we are attempting to do is get across a beautiful idea. Frankly, it is not easy to sell ornamentation when you are not rowing the zardosi/heavy embroidery boat, he adds.
They have stuck to what they do best, signature appliqué and colour stories, this time they have metallised the look, with pastels. Pearly sheen takes light very well and the entire feel is iridescent. The fabrics have been digitally printed, with accurate tonality, emblazoned with geometric artworks with graded structured silhouettes.
P and N have added fringing and 3 D textures as well as hand cut shapes along with leatherite and sequins creating opulence without using faux ostrich feathers. And each texture is made in-house with R and D as well as several additions and subtractions to the final outcome.
The husband and wife team have now forayed into a new category—menswear and are taking baby steps. We had many brides request us to make something for the groom, earlier we were reluctant, but slowly we gave it a try and it made our clients happy. This could be an addition to our future portfolio of offerings, concludes Pankaj.