Gaurav Gupta creates a line that whispers ancient tales of grandeur.
There is a clear definition of couture for Gaurav Gupta—-it must be desirable, hand-made, wearable and above all, it must make me happy, he says.
And what keeps him charged up despite the nervousness and excitement of Couture Week is the aspiration to add newness to his line, each season. Coming up with something fresh, fantastical, magical and the painstaking process reaching that goal is what gets me going. A garment for me must be beautiful and flattering to the feminine form at the same time, when I say newness it means in thoughts, ideas and the way I interpret culture, says Gaurav.
Gauravs sari gowns are loved by global brides, he has changed the way women wear a kurta or even a lehenga, but his forte remains his enticing drapes. Even a foreigner can wear our sari gowns, it is a time in fashion, when we are proud to be Indian, Made in India is respected, adored and loved the world over, he admits. And no, he is not looking at roping in brides with a love for only more and more gold on their outfits. That percentage is slowly shrinking, and what has emerged is a bride who is ready to experiment with shape and colour, he adds.
This time, from his vast reservoir, Gaurav has delved into and come up with hand crafted embroideries, but with an ancient twist. The starting point for the line was; how would one view mythology and mystery 1,000 years henceforth? So the collection is mix of vintage charm, modern appeal and futuristic vision, which makes it quite a heady mix, he confirms.
Hoping to dress a well travelled fash-forward woman who doesnt mind standing out, for Gaurav it has been a struggle between realism and flights of fantasy. I do manage to find a balance after much struggle. But I also think lifestyles have changed now and there are destination weddings which are de rigueur so you can really unleash your creativity, as it is not restricted to strict customs or traditions, he concludes