From friendships to shine, Suneet Varma is a bundle of commitments and never shies away from either risqué bustiers, nor fiery reds.
By Asmita Aggarwal
When Suneet Varma began his trek into the fashion world, the landscape was different he could pursue many of his loves. Photography was one of them and being the meticulous immigrant from Punjab, he has archived his verdant memories.
He believes photography is art, after all his mentor was Prabuddha Dasgupta, a chance meeting changed everything for a young Suneet just back from the UK after studying fashion and then working with the inimitable Yves Saint Laurent. His forte is sculpting and costume history, thus you see classical film references often peppered in the collections, whether it was The Birth of Venus” by Italian artist Sandro Botticelli his favourite painting or the admiration for breastplates which are now”viral “.
Just like his love for design and shine, his friendships are also everlasting, take for example Ravi Bajaj who may have dropped out of the fashion race, but the duo have kept their relationship intact for 35 years surviving the gruelling needs of a fast-paced design space. The now recluse Bajaj made a fleeting appearance at his ICW 2023 show, to stand by Suneet, in a largely fickle-minded industry. Though he must have missed Simar Duggal whom he immortalised in his book Suneet Varma, and also gave her the first break on the runway. London School of Fashion and then Nicole Farhi, born in a textile business family, the 60-year-old guru, often views couture as an ode to femininity laced with an element of longevity.
This sentiment permeates Suneets life his admiration for colour and how he effortlessly adds sweetness to bling. He admits a woman must look sensual and romantic, he often lets the ruffles combine with fantasy to pursue sparkle, which is never too much in his world.
This year, his ICW show was different—the aroma of fresh mogras wafted through the set, with vintage-y chandeliers giving us a feel of a decadent haveli. Meena Kumaris blockbuster directed by Kamal Amrohi, Pakeezah was given an homage in sindoori reds. He took us on a trip down memory lane, but added risqué, bejewelled bustiers to woo a millennial who wants adventure, likes to accentuate her curves, cant get enough of shine, and sometimes wants to say I do with velvets.
Shararas were omnipresent and sensing the shift in the post-pandemic world the couturier used softer hues, offered lighter lehengas, with a weightless long jacket, which you can wear as separates with your pair of jeans on a night out. Suneet sticks to his beliefs and for many years he has refused to allow the entry of a showstopper, and has been celebrating the power of a model, who is his eternal muse.