Green Doors
A buy back scheme to foster sustainability, a new brand S&N, and a line aptly titled Hope brings in the much needed light! By Asmita Aggarwal
In search of lost time
Reynu Taandon unlocks the secrets of the bygone era, with her ode to red, creating new metaphors of memory in Surkh By Asmita Aggarwal
Future Luxe
Mastering the craft of creativity, Valaya is looking at the future, with meta-luxury and an assiduous approach to design, with help from his talented stylist daughter Hoorvi By Asmita Aggarwal
Anatomy of Hope
Rajamahal Palace, Jaipur, comes alive as Dolly J celebrates the inner strength of a modern woman By Asmita Aggarwal
The World without us
Lotus Pond becomes a potent metaphor in Rahul Mishras ICW 2020 line By Asmita Aggarwal
Shape of Water
Shot underwater, Amit Aggarwal pays a tribute to an unfettered existence, with air light ensembles that beckon a time-tested palette By Asmita Aggarwal
Born to Shine
Suneet Varma celebrates the pronounced aspects of celebrations, with his unabashed ode to fantasy, hoping to bring back cheer. By Asmita Aggarwal
Live Beautiful
Despite the volatile churning of the world, GG gives a voice to those, who often go unheard in the deafening noise, making his theme inclusivity ricochet a bigger statement than his sculptural plinths! By Asmita Aggarwal
TRYST WITH TEXTILES
A salute to the quiet warriors of handlooms artisans, as they add a human touch to our otherwise assembly line wardrobes, in a soulful celebration of handloom month by Asmita Aggarwal
Theory of Harmony
Bindu and Surya, mother-son duo combine music, engineering and physics to create a line that celebrates tradition, minus the jazz By Asmita Aggarwal You could call him the prodigal son, the one who stumbled into fashion, seeing the silent, but evocative efforts of his mother. Mother-son make the best pair, emotionally and commercially too as they balance ideas creating a chord wheel where effective notes bounce off. Thats the story of Bindu and Surya Giri from Chennai of the label SGBG (symbolic of their names). Bindu from the royal family of Northern Kerala, has been working with textiles for the last 15 years, taking up languishing looms and reviving lost crafts. Masters in business administration from Chicago, Bindu adopted the family legacy of working with craftsmen from her village. Very few connoisseurs of the real art of traditional saris want to pay for authenticity; so she found devotees in UK and South Asia. The family was in tandem with the traditions of yore and believed in protecting heritage, my mother was passed on the baton and she carried it bravely till the finish line, explains Surya. Surya, studied music and economics at the University of Chicago and graduated two years ago. He had no idea what the business entailed or ever dreamt of joining his mom. But it did happen almost serendipitously. While making a documentary for the BBC, he had a day off and decided just spontaneously to visit the looms under his mothers care. I was blown over and as my mother has always been so low key, I didnt know the extent of her intervention. Though what made me want to join is, it was connected to my roots and design in modern times is more than what meets the eye; there are many subterranean layers which are intangible, he explains. History has been coded in the warp and weft of the ensembles and the duo took up the onerous task to elevate these art forms. The wheels got kicking and they went for the Paris Fashion Week (Tranoi Week) to participate in the sustainable edit, hoping to curate weaves in a contemporary form. Literally born with a diamond spoon, Suryas father was the VP Accenture, and his maternal grandfather Nandkumar was a respected royalty in Kerala, both families appreciated art, culture, fashion and music and the same genes were passed on to the subsequent generations. Poetry exists in Indian textiles and we must create a cocoon around it to preserve it. Fashion has so many interesting stories sewn in its fabric that as designers we try and present them in the ten minutes we get on the runway, he smiles. Just like music, Surya says where rhythm and balance is the key to hit the right notes, in design you need an eye that looks beyond just colours and ornamentation. We did a more densely packed version of the Kanchivaram and our version of the Banerasi weave, when it migrated down South got greater intricacy and was incredibly textured, he admits. Fashion is more visual now and about fearless concepts and ethics and less about shapes and form. I view our brand as an art project thats why our LMIFW19 showing has sculpture, drape and embroidery amalgamated in its foundation. Our clothes are global, they can be worn anywhere from Los Angeles to Kochi, he concludes.