Valentino could have done forgettable pinks, but what Gaurav Jai Gupta has introduced in craft brings with it lightness, subtlety, and grace as Jamdanis take centrestage.
By Asmita Aggarwal
If you thought pink is only for Valentino, think again as Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro has introduced his stunning version of a handwoven Jamdani sari, knotted to perfection, worn by model Roselyn telling us that you can wear it without any “borders”. His collection showcased at LFW X FDCI opening show at The Kunj, had shoes designed by him, with the help of stylist Nikhil Dudani. “Pinks made a bigger impact as it was on a quintessential Indian complexion. Textiles increase the scale of colour, it also depends on how well you can use the tonality of hues in your favour,” says Gaurav, honoured to be showcasing at the mecca of crafts, The Kunj. Just like his blues that still sell well, he decided to keep it minimal and clean, no layering playing with circle-dots patterns.
Khadi silks, Jamdanis formed the fulcrum, and the one and only upcycled coat he made from the entire collection’s waste was a showstopper with dexterously executed patchwork. Metallics were omnipresent, and his signature Kinji sooti saris, played with oversized blazers. “Our outerwear is popular, mostly utility pieces, as we introduced almost 50 separates, wearability is of prime importance for us,” he adds.
Engagingly, the sari has now been seen as a dress, or even a drape, he never serenaded the palla or pleats, for him it was more about the form. Ashish Karmali, stylist from Jharkhand helped him undertake many challenging drapes to add a third dimension. “Starlight” his LFW X FDCI line is in continuation of what he started with—”Skies Mine” and then “Moonrise”, from the sky to the moon, and now the pink horizon. “With wars and politically disturbing times, everything impacts me. We had to do a show in the US that got cancelled,” he admits, and showing at The Kunj was appropriate as it channels the “right energy”.
Golden platforms, taking us back to 60s, balloon skirts largely roomy, you could easily spot the metallic sheen, with just hints of shimmer, no fuss even in the ponchos as the sleeves are longer, narrower, and exaggerated. “I don’t think people from South Delhi and West Delhi understand crafts, maybe they know about Bandhani and Khadi, but that’s all,” he laughs. What he does want to work with in the future, is printing and embroideries, or what he calls “surface texturing” in his design language. Madina, from Israel played the violin to let in the Jamdanis, which gave us a peek into their visual beauty ushering in lightness and subtlety.