Muted splendour and versatility make it to the top of the list for Siddhartha Tytler
By Asmita Aggarwal
It has been a season of change for Siddhartha Tytler, he moved to lighter hues and natural fabrics. The idea was to make it as pure as possible which also inspired the title for his ICW 2022 line Ambrosia or nectar of the gods.
The colour palette was predominantly ivory and gold, a very classic take, traditional with a modern twist. Our design process allowed us to highlight our forte in a new look, generally we like to work with blacks and greys and deeper colours. This time it is the polar opposite, taking the environment into account, says Siddhartha.
With no location shoots, it was very easy to look for a studio in Ghitorni. It seemed ideal to capture the mood of a French room which is decaying, with a colour palette of beiges and earthy tones. The pandemic taught us how to slow down, to keep things as tight as possible, minimal, dont go excessive, keep a check on your price points, he adds.
The brand despite the slowdown has been active, virtually sending lookbooks to clients, a ritual they followed pre-pandemic also, as well as making the website viable. The advantage of a digital film is that we can showcase our creativity to the fullest, there are no boundaries; we can play with pre- and post-production. On the other hand, at an actual fashion show, you view the garments right in front of you, three dimensionally. You can observe the flow and fall, and there is no magic like that, but both formats have their pluses and minuses. Shooting a fashion film is more creatively satisfying as everyone has a great time, there is great energy and we end up making a beautiful product, he explains.
This year, the brand has used the classic staple appliqué work, sequin sheathing and crystal embellishments. Whats new to the table is a lot of thread work, frills, ruffles and pleating to add a new twist to the brand ethos. Most importantly, we played with volume the opposite of structure which is what we usually do, he confessed.
In keeping with the need of the time, there has been a play with separates, one can actually take one garment and mix it with another seamlessly, a lot of multi wear of each and every single look and he admits that you can practically get three different looks out of one.
Fantasy is in the foreground, we dont compromise on the deliverance of what we showcase. Garments are a lot more practical and easier to wear and a lot more relatable, but how we showcase them is how the vivid imagination comes to play, he says.
Top buns, bare faces accentuated with golden cat eyes, raindrops on translucent window panes, exaggerated pleats in ivory and men in skirts created a mood board of light is right. And with the show stopper Aditya Seal doing a dervish-like twirl in a sequinned, floor caressing angarakha, it was back to gender neutrality in a world that is moving back to slow, which is the path to grow.
For a brand to remain relevant in trying times, takes precedence thats why Siddhartha associates with V-loggers, stylists and bloggers to give their creative spin to it. This keeps it up-to-date and exciting, he concludes.