I am greedy for crafts: Valaya
Army mom, Rajasthani crafts, travel and love for the East, forms the basis of Valaya’s ICW line replete with motifs of the Balkans to his ideology –a “royal nomad”. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal J J Valaya was born in Rajasthan, Jodhpur, a fauji kid who travelled all over the country Lucknow, Chandigarh, Pune, to Delhi and from here comes the spirit of travel, as well as exposure to multitude of cultures, living in different parts of country understanding artisanal forms that exists there. “My mom was an army wife, used to handle ladies’ welfare at the army cantonment where they teach embroideries-cross stitch, shadow work to smocking, which I imbibed along the way. All that seeps in, I believe in the power of creativity, it paves the way, defines the path of your life,” says Valaya. It has been 33 years, 35 if you count his education in NIFT, this is why he asserts, fashion is a fab career option, only if you have passion for it, as you are put on test every six months. “You must put blinkers on like a race horse, keep moving. Focus on what you are good at and focus on that, you can’t rest on your laurels. Be aware of what is going on in the world, don’t lose focus, don’t waste too much time on networking. Put in a lot of effort, work hard to hone your skill, make it the best,” he advises young designers. This is no hard and fast rule, he believes in “less is more” or “more is less”. Every designer can support both and believe in either ideology, maximalism vs minimalism both have advantages. India is a land of maximalism, foods are complex, we are a continent not a country, everything changes in our country from our festivals to our dresses. “No simplicity in Diwali or holi we are extravagant – architecture, carvings on rocks and stones, making masterpieces. Indians are not averse to embellishments, it is our greatest treasure—some use it to flourish with just a beautiful garment, some would create an entirely embellished masterpiece to go into a museum-highly subjective our love for shine, he believes. “It all depends on our design language. We love to celebrate—weddings are grand, we consume couture with fervour,” he adds. People should believe in their country more, focus on quality, Valaya doesn’t have gora hangover, feeding to the whims of the West, nor do we try to appease them. “Unless we get accepted in the West we don’t arrive, we feed on that ideology. We can’t be farther from the truth, India will be the prime market for everything in the next ten years,” he explains. His philosophy is to simply believe in my country, make indigenous fashion statements as brides are consuming couture, like they rush to buy bags and jewellery. Why not buy beautiful clothes? “Couture in India is linked to weddings, some women buy embroidered jackets, to feel happy,” he says. Any good brand in the world will be evolutionary in nature—is true benchmark of a brand which believes in its ethos and grows within that. It means you are aware of trends, you don’t blindly follow them, because luxury, to be called luxe, needs a high degree of timelessness. It is an investment, buying masterpieces, not clothes, you want them to last, pass them down to generations, that’s what couture is, he adds. The collection for ICW 2025 “East” and it’s his journey into this hemisphere….he is going back in time, 18th century when the West used to look at East with wonder. “It was a mysterious land full of stories —amazing cultures, artisans, crafts. So we wandered from the Balkans into the far East and finally settled in India,” says Valaya. When it comes to crafts, he is greedy, doesn’t cultivate favourites, he believes there is so much to explore in this country, it will take a lifetime. Any Indian designer must rediscover hidden crafts, and reinterpret for the current generation. Exactly what I am doing, innovate every year, push limits of excellence when it comes to workmanship, detailing and prints we sneak in. We don’t believe in extreme change every year. It has to be evolution. There is a distinct DNA of the brand that’s why customers come to us,” he adds. The bride is well travelled, the internet has brought everything close to us, she is intelligent, aware of what’s going on, all these factors make her better informed than brides of the past. “Being a classist, I want to create masterpieces she can truly enjoy, cherish, make her feel good, look good, give her pieces she knows can be worn again. I do not like gimmickry, I do not want to shock, I want to awe, but with a degree of craftsmanship, and artisanal quality in the garment. All the initial sketches are always done by Valaya himself; every sketch that’s made is fine-tuned by me. “Couture demands that attention, I really enjoy what I do. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are in another mind space, we are mere observers, from a distance see what’s happening and adapt to what’s going on. Tradition plays such a large part of Indian couture, there won’t be any radical changes happening, but mindset is changing-GenZ wants things to be experimental,” he adds. It is a very intelligent generation, they know exactly what they want. They realise, anything good has value and they are willing to pay for it, “so I think after 35 years I have learnt how to adapt to this generation,” he explains. Being a stylist, photographer, designer, a multifaceted person, “the royal nomad with a panache for art deco”, is an apt tagline. “It applies to me, as I love what I do, 33 years down the line I am still as excited about every show, every collection, every brand campaign that we do, photography is my alter ego at play, great leveler. We also do home interiors-carpets, love designing furniture, very fortunate to
I was a rebel, out to prove a point: Rimzim
Age and time have taught Rimzim Dadu the importance of merging commerce with fantasy, this year her Banjara tribal jewellery inspired chainmail dress took one month to execute, just like her rejigged sari not swathed in metres of fabric-happily crisp. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal Once upon a time Rimzim Dadu’s steel saris were looked upon as an anomaly, but that was almost 18 years ago, when lehengas were red, zardozi weighed them down. As fashion and the audience has evolved, Dadu calls herself a “rebel, out to prove a point”. At 21, she didn’t care about commerce, though today she realises it takes a lot of maturity to finally run a business. “I think I have found a sweet spot to do what I want to, discovering my own voice, and an audience that accepts my aesthetic,” she adds. Instagram, she feels, has really evolved the public perception of style, though the intelligentsia may despise it, it isn’t frivolous. If anyone follows me they know exactly what’s new, what I am thinking, it is now a democratic process nondependent on traditional media,” she adds. Indian fashion is now looked upon with respect, also curiosity, we are no longer a manufacturing hub, crafts and artisans are the showstoppers, but there is room for many India stories. “There is India traditional, modern, and futuristic. Our traditional weave had been heavily dependent on motifs and embellishment, so what’s wrong with shine? I don’t find it repulsive. Even if you look at Jamdani it is white, but the motifs on it give it that unique character,” she admits. Dadu is experimental, develops new textiles, drawing boards, and karigars envision how to upcycle what is traditionally looked at as waste. “Sometimes it takes ten failed attempts to get things right,” she says, adding, “We start again if we feel it is not going how we planned.” The language of bridal couture has altered enormously; steel saris earlier brides would ask if they could check with their mom-in-law, before buying, now they are the decision makers. Cliché is out; everyone wants to look bolder. “Couture now has elevated craftsmanship, it is a vision, our metallic jewel tones, and a whole new section of gunmetal grey this season is a big risk I have taken. Even though I don’t like to work on set themes,” she says. Her inspiration this year has been Banjara tribes and their vivacious jewellery, Dadu has done Patola in the past, this year she has fallen in love with Bandhani, the knots, used as an embellishment rather than in whole. “For me fashion is art, so the skirt that we made with metal and steel interlinked inspired by tribal jewellery, a chainmail structure, took one month to make after several failures, just one piece,” she smiles. Though Dadu is a woman of finer tastes—she wants to do things other than clothing—maybe lights, textiles, sculpture. “Though what helps is switching off and living in my bubble,” she grins. That’s why her new “streamlined” lehenga (not using 20 but 2 metres of fabric) or playing with a new way of draping “palla”, after detailed R & D is what ICW 2025 saw. Cording, steel wires, in sherwanis, bandhgalas, bomber jackets, it has been a journey of following her passion, even as the new mother Dadu finds “solace” when she works relentlessly to create stand out pieces.
Upcycled Shimmer
Hyderabad has emerged as a competition to Delhi-Mumbai for couture, even though the lawyer turned designer believes going green can be possible in couture! By Asmitaa Aggaarwal She is a lawyer, who always had an interest in environmental law, and decided to mix her two passions –legal eye with fashion. Upcycling, applique to molten metallics, Aisha Rao, from NUJS (law) to studying in Barcelona Istituto Europeo di Design, IED and then garment construction at Parsons New York, she knew her heart was in making clothes that bring out the vibrancy of India, its unabashed celebrations. Showcasing her line “Wild at heart” at the ICW for the first time, she has said ‘no’ to plastics for a long time, and was in fact debating whether she really wants to work in fashion, known to be the most polluting industry in the world. “Whenever you cut a bias skirt, there was a lot of waste generated, along with this was when we used sequins, bugle beads, bullions on the ‘khaat’. We wanted to find a way to use both these and we did, by upcycling them. I wanted to make a viable business, but reduce carbon footprints,” says Aisha. And of course, a degree in law always helps—specially when recently Bloomingdales sent her a contract she was able to maneuver dexterously. “Brides don’t understand the concept of waste, all they want is to look pristine,” she laughs. Mother of two kids, Aisha often finds inspiration in their stories, like Roald Dahl’s Matilda to Paper dolls, though Indian couture is enjoying the spotlight, with China slowing down–Ambani wedding, Prada introduced Italian version of Kolhapuris, LV embroidered bags. Sabyasachi Mukherjee has stated, he would like his jewellery to not be locked up but worn on linens and skirts. Plus, couture is now functional, not just about heavy lehenga cholis. “We are doing dresses you can wear at your friend’s wedding, the crystal one-piece blouse can be teamed up with palazzos, traditional peacock motifs top this is now your companion to a date night draped skirt,” she says. Couture was earlier reserved for the OGs, very tough for young people to break in, it is also manpower heavy and super expensive, till now Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata were hubs the South largely ignored. Two designers have broken the glass ceiling and given Hyderabad, a great representation—Jayanti Reddy and Aisha Rao. “I have always loved the Banarasi weave, this year also it finds a representation, in my collections, pure gold zari saris in Kanchipuram. Girls have a mind of their own, they will wear a tiny beach blouse, but mom-in-law still prefers classic woven sari,” she laughs. Her kasavu tissue saree, zari with satins, have done well, for cocktails, to white weddings. “We did sequins overload in the Barcelona line, as an ode to Antoni Gaudi, the acclaimed Spanish architect, I’ve always wanted to tell a story,” she affirms. This season Aisha offers jackets with bustiers inside, a sweater shape you can add over your lehenga, with a smattering of aari work and zardozi. “I’m sitting in Hyderabad, so Bollywood is tough to crack for me, though what celebs wear is aspirational, gets instant results, when a lehenga sells in volumes, it is good for business,” she says. From palms, peacock colours, chintz, maximal flora, lush teak berry, there is a little bit of Aisha in each piece she crafts, “of coursen o lehenga comes within a pocket as that was my pain point at my own celebrations,” she concludes.
Bihar to custodian of Bal’s legacy
Tasnim Fraze, creative director Rohit Bal, brings garden of flowers from Kashmir in Matka silks and poetic khadi for ICW 2025. By Asmitaa Aggarwal It is quite a larger-than-life legacy of the iconic Rohit Bal to carry on his nimble shoulders but Tasnim Fraze, believes, “It’s an honour and a deeply personal responsibility. Everything he created came from a place of love — for Indian craft, the beauty of Kashmir, and the people who bring that beauty to life. I had the privilege of learning and growing under his guidance for over a decade. As Creative Director, my role now is to protect what he built and let it grow, with the hope that everything we create reflects the integrity and grace he always stood for.” His journey with Rohit Bal began in 2013, just after he graduated from design school Symbiosis International University, he began as a young designer in his team and over time, got the chance to be involved in more — from design to the business side of things. “Rohit Bal always valued growth and believed in continuous learning. He encouraged me to pursue further education, which led me to do my MBA at IIM Ahmedabad. That experience helped me understand how to balance creativity with business decisions. But the real learning came from working with him — being in the atelier, working with artisans, and watching how an idea would turn into something special in his hands,” he adds. The FDCI ICW collection called Kash-gul, draws inspiration from the landscape and poetry of Kashmir — especially from Gulistan, which means the “garden of flowers”. This collection connects with shared memory, craft, and tradition. “We’ve worked closely with artisans to preserve techniques that have been passed down over generations. We’ve used fabrics like Matka silk and velvet, with thread work and gold zardozi that add richness and depth. The motifs — peacock, lotus, and rose — were signature elements in Rohit Bal’s work, and they continue in this collection. What I have tried to retain is his sense of elegance and the quiet drama that made his work timeless,” he explains. Tasnim grew up in Bihar, grew up surrounded by culture, stories, and art. Bihar is also the land of hand-woven matka silk, and khadi was a part of daily life. “Being around these kinds of fabrics from a young age naturally drew me toward textiles and eventually, into fashion. Fashion became more serious for me during design school. And everything truly came together when I started working with Rohit Bal,” he confirms. Couture today is about meaning, he believes. Brides are looking for pieces that reflect who they are — not just garments that are heavy or ornate. “There’s a clear shift toward personal connection, craftsmanship, and quiet elegance,” he adds. For the festive season, what always works is a garment that feels intentional — something with clean construction, beautiful fabric, and quiet presence. When it’s made with care and worn with confidence, it never fails to leave an impression!
Choli out, sharara-peplum blouse in: Jayanti Reddy
Banarasi weave interpretation is loved by South brides, for Jayanti Reddy Hyderabad has become a nerve center for couture. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal She comes from the city of pearls, and Hyderabadi elegance, known for her love for Birdi craft that she resuscitated, but in the last 13 years in fashion Jayanti Reddy, may have studied business in US, but at heart she knows couture is her first love. “I was doing one off pieces, heavily embellished for a select clientele, we mixed interesting shapes with comfort. Though the focus has been jewel tones and pastels, with a smattering of gold,” says Reddy. In these years there have been many inspirations—travel to textile art, even using leftover scraps patching them together to create new fabrics. Or woven panels with zardosi threadwork, made into slimmer skirts; new interpretation of Banaras with lighter more gossamer touches. “The lehenga choli is obsolete, it is now the Sharara and peplum with two sheer duppattas, and trail,” she explains. The South has become a hub for brides, the market is booming, it offers originality, variety as well as fantasy, for her Banarasi weaves are best sellers. “Capes, jackets to corsets offer a third dimension, and weddings are a mix of cultures. There is no set template of what will work, we need to keep evolving as brides do and frankly Bollywood wearing a Jayanti Reddy creates enormous awareness,” she concludes.
Insta helps boost revenue, says Nikhil Mehra
Gender fluid Shiva-Shakti has been a leitmotif for Nikhil Mehra as the younger brother in the duo Shantanu-Nikhil confirms menswear is where the real game is now! By Asmitaa Aggaarwal For 25 years now Nikhil Mehra, the younger sibling of the duo Shantnu and Nikhil has been on a trek, in the world of fashion, he calls it a journey of “self-exploration”. The focus has been on transforming men’s silhouettes, moving away from the idea that a man is simply a “caretaker’. “There is a sense of poetic femininity, where drapes are the mainstay. Women in S and N couture are portrayed as strong independent brides, rather than coy, not romantic so in some ways it has been a role reversal of sorts. “If you look at the history of couture it was considered the holy grail, unapproachable. Now for the last few years it is moving away from ostentation, display of wealth, with a lot more focus on experimentation,” says Nikhil. Maybe that’s why the obsession with red has dimmed, societal norms have been broken, brands are looking at watered down versions of couture—Anamika with AK-Ok and Tarun Tahiliani with OTT. “Less is more for us, we try to tell a story through minimalism, like our hand-crafted brooches, there may be a lack of abundance, but there is a definitive respect for crafts,” says Mehra. Though he questions, “just because it is $4000, should we say we have put 4,000-man hours making it? We don’t think like that? He works with sporty elements, as games is what keeps him going personally too, here too there is innovation—yarns are developed, mostly breathable knitted fabrics, wool blends. “Accessorizing has been a fun thing, so we channel military regalia, kamarband on shirts/sherwanis, merging two different worlds,” he adds. Nikhil admits post-colonization, we embraced colours vibrantly, as well as prints and refused to be cowed down by a Western aesthetic of black and greys. “Fantasy in fashion is before you are 22 years old, after running a business, you grow up really fast. The theme of Shiva Shakti, gender fluid has been constant in our lines, even as our brides have abandoned dupatta and decided to wear a lehenga with structured jackets, that she can wear with drainpipe pants later for a girl’s night out,” he smiles. Men have been neglected in fashion, he believes, so the brand took cognizance of it, “men are no longer a mere plus one, they have an identity of their own”. Pre-covid couture was only wedding wear, now it is about celebrating every moment, not just a D-day, anniversary, a personal milestone et al. “Paris Fashion week, celebs walked for Balenciaga, among others, so the showstopper is an important aspect, good for business. FB and insta generate revenue for us. People want to see what their icons are wearing,” he adds. His fav hues—dark navy and cherry, mix in this is deep emerald, slate greys and rubies. That’s why his line for ICW 2025 titled “Metropolis” serenades a global man, who takes his cultural identity with him. “We went to Moscow, St Petersburg, and Pitti Uomo, to Sardinia, a man now is unapologetically well dressed, he enjoys the process. That’s why menswear is more potent now than ever before,” he says. Vivan Mehra, his son, is now gearing up for Emerson college Boston, in filmmaking and acting, so like all doting fathers, Nikhil believes he gets this talent from his mom, Vidushi, a theatre actress. “I knew he was not going to study accounting or engineering, rather performing arts was calling. It was a toss up between football and acting, the latter won. In fact Karan Johar told him to watch a lot of Japanese films, watch finer nuances like lighting to understand 70 MM world,” he concludes.
Barefoot doc of craft: Ritu Kumar
No one can tell one bridal outfit from another. No one has time and dedication in this computer age for crafts, laments Ritu Kumar. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal In the 60s she was the first to do the classic ready-to-wear bridal, as traditional woven saris were the norm, now Ritu Kumar sees a huge change, due to the number of options available in couture. “The palette is not structured anymore, Bengal they still wear red Banarasi, but D-Day hues have a new handwriting of pastels, shapes remain conventional, as Gen Z innovates. There is an introduction of beads, sequins, and pearls, we are doing Europe with a mix of India in couture renditions,” says Ritu. When she began in Serampore (Calcutta), there were no books on crafts available, no one knew about the beauty of Machilipatnam to Ajrakh, but zardozi always found glory. “Not a page was written about Indian textiles, now there is huge awareness about crafts; we are one of the few countries who have retained our luxe heritage. I have worked with some outstanding people in this field-textile art historian Jasmeen Dhamija to Laila Tyabji, enriching my journey,” she adds, saying Martand Singh and people like him were the “barefoot doctors of craft—truly academic nourishers.” In the 70s no one knew about India as for 200 years we were ruled by the British, colonised, they took the paisley and machine printed it on fabrics, sold it back to us, she explains. But true to her craft Ritu took the hand block print to the prestigious Pret-a-porter show in the 70s France, filling the vacuum which she has detailed in her book Costumes and Textiles of Royal India. She is ready for her new book, just finished editing, on contemporary India her journey from the 60s to now. “Our hand block print saris did so well that soon Surat and Banaras started abandoning polka dots and doing hand block prints,” she smiles, adding sequins never permeated into her aesthetic. Interestingly she says, everything in bridal looks the same, can’t tell from the other, made in Farrukhabad or Bengal no one knows, which needs to change. Fashion, she says, must make a social impact, as we have an ingenious handwriting, it is alive on the ramp not in museums like other countries, it is being worn from Lajpat Nagar to Dilli Haat as well as couture week catwalks. “India is an engaging phenomenon, but what I would love to do most is revive the Kani shawl which no one has been able to as it is such a complex weave, like Chintz, my perennial favourite,” she admits. It is so special that it can never be copied! In this computer world, she says no one has the patience for crafts, to understand its nuances, sit and learn. “I am a painter but I don’t know the vegetable dyes used to make paintings—I am just a catalyst, artisans are the showstoppers,” she says. Rinku aka Sharmila Tagore whom Ritu knows since her Calcutta days wore the Begum of Bhopal’s joda, for her wedding to Pataudi wanted Kareena to do the same. Ritu took on the task, 5 months, contacting Mughal emperor Wajid Ali Shah’s old karigars, from Metiabruz (Calcutta) to repair the 300-year-old gold sequins one by one, and get the gold zari woven again that had got torn off. “It was worth the time, and dedication,” she signs off.
Kadwa Banarasi to Alessandra Ambrosio
Crafts have a beautiful narrative—thus, Manish Malhotra can straddle two worlds effortlessly-the glam of Victoria’s Secret, Bebo as Poo, to the craft-soaked Phulkari. By Asmitaa Aggaarwal There is no doubt that Bollywood loves Manish Malhotra and maybe the sentiment is returned in full fervour –so after five years when he returned to India Couture Week 2025, he decided to change the format and not do a typical sit-down show with models in heavily embellished lehengas. A golden sequinned eagle stood watching us all in the corner, with a delicious spread in the middle, free seating, live music, and a studded galaxy of his A list star friends. The surprise was Victoria’s Secret Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio, in a pearl-embellished lehenga, as Tamanna and Fatima Sana Sheikh were in attendance, but the installations that caught everyone’s eye or should have were his experiments with Phulkari-titled “Living legend in thread”. “I love this embroidery from Punjab. It is also rooted by my culture, I’ve seen so many in my family wearing this, it is special to me, passed down to the next generation as an heirloom,” says Manish. Bollywood had become an intrinsic part of mainstream fashion with the takeover of the visual media, case in point Insta. Gen Z identifies with the DDLJ movie which is considered iconic for more reasons than one. In 1995, emerald green was not a colour that was acceptable for top actresses who were swathed in pinks and flaming red chiffons, but Manish took the leap of faith, added zari and pleats, and got Kajol, a.k.a Simran to dance, making generations fall in love with this romantic story by Aditya Chopra. He admits “Mehndi laga ke rakhana” still rings true in many weddings even now. And no one can forget Kareena Kapoor irreverence in “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham” as “Poo”, or her moves in “Bole choodiyan” year 2000, where cropped asymmetrical blouse with sharara can still be pulled off in circa 2025. Though crafts play a huge role in the DNA of Indian fashion—the Kadwa Banarasi sari that Aishwarya Rai wore to Cannes many moons ago, woven by artisans in Varanasi took almost six months to make, truly celebrates India in its spirit. “Each motif is woven separately, intricate detailing, skilled artisans can only execute this, no loose ends at the back, these are heirloom pieces. For me Ash would be a perfect muse for this—as she embodies ageless style,” he concludes.
I’m old school, I respect crafts, not Insta: Tarun
Alisha Chinai, Hindi poetry, lounge setting, and 30 years of drapes, kashida, and grandeur, TT tells us in an exclusive interview, he believes in embellishment not excess, style over trends, luxury that whispers at ICW 2025! By Asmitaa Aggaarwal You could see him personally supervising everything at the Oberoi, his football cap and mike on, “remove extra tulips, straighten the carpet, this doesn’t need to be here” as he geared up to open the luxe doors of the hotel for guests to celebrate 30 years in the business of fashion. Mogras in brass bowls, his sister Tina and wife Shalija for support, lounge setting with sofas and Banarasi brocade throws, model Sapna Kumar, a classic face in the industry for almost 25 years began the show. “TT the brand is all me — and all of the world I see, read, experience, and love. Whether it is architecture, sculpture, temple visits, or a fascination with drapes and how fabric falls on the body — it reflects my eye. But it’s also bigger than me. The brand is a collaboration: between design, craft, history, emotion, and identity. I have always seen clothing as a canvas to bring together intellect, sensuality, and functionality in the context of India- the past and our current modern reality,” he adds, about a line titled “Quintessence”. When you wear a TT you almost wear a bejewelled piece, no need for a diamond necklace, just gold zardozi saris with polkis as headbands are enough. He suggests shades of white, off white to butter coloured this season, light and frothy. “The greatest lesson has been to stay rooted while evolving. To honour our heritage, our crafts, our karigars — but to constantly reinterpret them for the times we live in. What has sustained us is not just design, but a deep commitment to precision, garment construction, and creating clothing that empowers the wearer with lightness, movement, and modernity. That has been our constant — evolution with integrity, says Tarun, as always dressed in black with his bundi and sneakers. The backs of his lehengas and cholis, corset style blouses looked as if a diamond crystal necklace swung as models moved, tousled hair waves, accompanied embroidered saris—aari work, dabka to pearl encrusted pallus. The androgynous dhotis men wore with short sherwanis, can be interchangeable, TT ensures in-built glam. But his ode to kashida and Pichhwai interpreted in an ultra-modern manner was befitting. Fashion has an uneasy relationship with languages, especially Hindi poetry, it was certainly a charming touch with a 30-year-old Alisha Chinai Indi-pop song “Made in India” playing at the crescendo. “Couture today is not just about spectacle — it’s about substance. We design with longevity in mind. For us, couture must move, breathe, and be re-worn. Whether it’s a corset paired with palazzos or a lehenga reimagined as separates, we encourage our brides to invest in pieces that they will cherish not just on their wedding day but long after — styled again, worn with joy. That, to me, is true luxury. However, it must make people dream, push techniques, and retain a sense of fantasy,” says Tarun. India has always loved ornamentation and jewellery— from temple architecture to miniature paintings — but there is a difference between embellishment and excess. “I do not think we need to get over embellishment; we need to refine it. I believe in craftsmanship that enhances, not overwhelms. Embroidery should follow the line of the garment, not drown it. There’s immense power in restraint — that is the evolution we are committed to,” he adds. Tarun believes fashion has changed through storytelling — not in a literal way, but through emotion, technique, and detail. His work often references miniature paintings, Mughal jaalis, and architectural motifs — but distilled in a way that speaks to today. “We often say our brides carry a bit of the past, making light for the present. That is the essence of India Modern. A modern bride does not want to be weighed down — she wants to float, she wants to move — and she wants to wear culture with pride, not burden. It is a visceral process, am not quite clear on how it meshes and fuses and emerges,” he explains. Has Insta made fashion frivolous? “There are both sides. Yes, there’s noise — but there is also access. I’m old school — I believe in deep understanding, in training, in respecting craft,” he says. He acknowledges that social media has opened doors. Imagery is powerful to say the least and people can see our craft and aesthetic from across the world instantly. What’s important is to stay authentic — because trends fade. “Real style endures,” he asserts. There is a growing controversy against Bollywood and showstoppers—”I’ve always said — I’m not against showstoppers; I’m against the idea that the show becomes only about them,” he adds. The real stars of couture are the craft, the clothes, and the karigars who bring them to life. That’s where the focus should be. Cinema and fashion have grown increasingly intertwined. Bollywood has an extraordinary reach, and when it aligns authentically with a brand’s philosophy, it can help amplify the message. But for us, the true showstoppers are — and will always be — the garments. “I’ve even had a bit of fun with the idea. One year, we draped a model entirely in fabric and pinned a sign on her that read ‘I am the showstopper.’ It was tongue-in-cheek, but it made the point. I don’t feel the need to do that anymore. The work speaks for itself,” he laughs. He says he would like to change the idea that couture is only for a moment. “I would like people to see couture as something that can be cherished over a lifetime — not just a fleeting Instagram post or a one-day affair. It should be heirloom-worthy, yes — but it should also be alive, wearable, joyful. Couture must find its way back into wardrobes, not stay locked in trunks,” he says. Each season he
Akshay likes ruffled feathers
Bollywood superstar, avalanche of sequins, jazz crooner think Nat Cole King, crystal bustiers, Falguni-Shane Peacock made sure, everything glittered at ICW 2025. But you can wear your boyfriend’s denims with a pussy bow blouse and sequinned tunic they informed us! By Asmitaa Aggarwaal Remember a sitar maestro sitting in a lotus last year with the delicious Vicky Kaushal giving us increased heart beats? That’s Falguni and Shane Peacock, this time too for ICW 2025, the imposing set, looked straight out of a garden in Italy, with two giant white peacocks (befitting) in the middle. And of course, in this heady mix was Akshay ‘Khiladi’ Kumar, in dark glasses and all the right moves, thankfully he did not pull off a gravity defying stunt, but did bend down on his knees, giving us a taste of his usual irreverent fun! He spoke in Hindi, and admitted he is ramp walking after years, almost 12, “mini show but lots of hard work goes on behind it,” exclaimed Akshay. FSP had men with diamond danglers, capes in ink blue were larger-than-life; women flaunting faux feather boas, an avalanche of sequins, it was as if everything was crystallised. They skilfully combined their two loves– sequinned women perched on two stone peacocks, zardosi feathers languidly sprawling on lehengas, if you switch off the lights you can see an FSP outfit from afar. It makes us believe too much shine is never enough, in this invasion of an army of glitter were delicate pearl trimmed veils.The favourite undoubtedly was Archana Akhil Kumar in high waisted boyfriend jeans worn with a fully sequinned tunic and white pussy bow blouse which will soon become everyone’s go it-multiplicity of use. In FSP style, the glowing brooch clinched the tunic as models wore multiple mogra braids, the smell wafting through the Taj Palace Hall. “The way FSP presents themselves is purely international, but it’s made in India. I hope I get another chance to do this again, as I feel royal in my white sherwani,” Akshay added. Shane, with hints of blue in his beard, told us he had investigated so many minute details, but the show stopper was the most important one. Live music always has its advantages—and fashion show veteran singer Vasundhara Vee with a booming voice took charge (she has done shows with Ashish Soni, Ravi Bajaj, FDCI, Sabyasachi). Vee crooned jazz as La Vie En Rose (Edith Piaf), Dream a little dream of me (Doris Day), At Last (Etta James), A Thousand Years (Christina Perri), and L-O-V-E (Nat King Cole) made sure the hints of woven saris got a fleeting representation in an otherwise tornado of embellishments. Singing for the last 30 years the Assamese artist, studied at LSR, English (hons), grandchild of Pramathesh Chandra actor, director, and screenwriter of the 50s, who made the original “Devdas”. “Arts were a part of my family, Pratima Barua Pandey an Indian folk singer from the royal family of Gauripur, Western Assam’s Dhubri district, was my grandma. I think I inherited the love for tunes from her,” she smiles. Though when you sing love on tracks there are challenges versus when you are with a band, where you can tune and keep up the flow. “Pace of models changes, so you must make sure you are in tandem. I enjoy how fashion interacts with music, even though I have always been self-conscious, I did enjoy wearing the FSP shrug,” she concludes.