To Mom with Love
Arjan Dugal’s line ‘Vintage 2030’ combines modern design engineering with traditional Japanese motifs, as zardosi and florals become the hero at Chivas Luxe Collective Perfumes presents FDCI India Men’s Weekend 2025 at Diggi Palace, Jaipur. By Asmita Aggarwal He kind of worked both sides of the fashion spectrum — his father’s export house, his mother’s love for textiles and indigenous crafts. Maybe that’s what makes Arjan Dugal so confident about his menswear line he launched ten years ago. Son of the country’s leading supermodel of the 90s Simar Dugal, who died battling cancer, Arjan was just 28. After studying economics and finance in Dallas, US, and a remote fashion course from Parson’s School of Fashion, he decided to foray into this unpredictable world. His father’s work made him adept at stitching, pattern cutting with the best ateliers in Spain and Italy. He designed for Tommy Hilfiger, Ted Baker, Pepe Jeans, Pedro to Claudia Strater. The imposing frescos painted sunshine yellow, the chandeliers almost 200 years old once maybe lit with candles in 1860 when it was built. The stained glass windows, Persian carpets, bevy of boys, with golden hair clips and bulging biceps (not beer biceps thankfully), came in skirts, as the maharaja of yesteryear’s black and white portrait hung above watching the show unfold. Arjan’s love music and pops of red playing peek a boo from ankle length pants, were cool. So were the brocade breeches! He was trying to tell us through his charming reds — you can wear all white and yet add fun, and make it light. For a reality check, he worked as a store keeper for his mom, checking colour fastness to sizing in her Indian wear line. October 2014, he took a giant leap of faith, went solo, this year he completed 10 years in the business. The beauty of the Arjan Dugal label is his ability to combine design engineering with subtle crafts. His mom’s love for Jamavar, Baghs, Kalamkaris to Phulkaris, as she was a collector, he places along with sequins, and his beloved dori embroidery. Add to this mix a smattering of Persian influences, including zardozi. His father who earlier headed Apollo Leather, before he began the export house, taught him how to work with horse tail hair, silicon tapes, dextrously employ embroidery on leather, as well as foiling, and with this he always makes textiles the showstoppers. Being an avid golfer, Argan, felt dressing well became his idiom, thus his first line was from Ajrakhpur, combined with Mashru, a capsule collection. Kind of a bridge between luxe designer wear and FabIndia — that was his ideology. His experiments with Chintz, linen, Chanderi and silks on menswear helped him understand that new-age men like experimentation, but in pieces, not as a whole. “I felt as I am a millennial no one in my generation really appreciates the beauty of textiles, I wanted to give them an interesting mix—ajrakh with leather in a tailored look. Not the usual red pocket square, bandhgala and breeches,” he smiles. As women are more aware, spoilt for choice, they want their husbands to follow suit, as they can’t be ‘mismatched’. India is a country of festivals and celebrations — from Durga pooja to Chhaat and Karwa Chauth, shopping is always festive. “I follow the 80 X 20 principle, while crafting an ensemble – first will be an austere self-on-self and the rest a striking contrast,” he says. Printed lining is his USP, plus built in pocket squares, which you can see in his couture line for men at the Chivas Luxe Collective Perfumes presents FDCI India Men’s Weekend 2025 at Diggi Palace, Jaipur. “Kora work on organza, brocade underlay, hand stitched seams, insides and piping give each ensemble a unique look. We work a lot with organza, emblazoned with Dori embroidery,” he adds, saying his mother’s memory is of him being more of a sibling less of a child. As she was just 23 when she had him, he would accompany her to various fashion shows. Of course, this equation changed, when they diagnosed her with the illness, in her last three years, he became the caretaker. “I realised I must cope with the pair of cards that life deals you, can’t choose or plus and minus. I found my soulmate in a lawyer, who stood by me in my toughest days,” he admits. ‘Vintage 2030’ is his line, where zardozi and florals play with Japanese motifs on organza. “I have taken elements from the past, given them an entirely new treatment. Our logo is the gramophone, as it resonated with me. I have a sleek designed one at home, where I play my vinyl records, plug it in and you get the same vivacity of sound as the 50s one,” he confirms. Curiosity made him seek crafts from other cultures whether it was Shibori or Uzbeki ikat which was fascinating as it is woven from silk velvet threads. “My mom said to me ‘Arjan you are my legacy’, those words still ring in my heart,” he concludes.
Fervent Tribute to Bal
FDCI and Blenders Pride pay a befitting homage to Gudda, with 100 showstoppers, friends, family and in this beautiful story, an emotional Sonam Kapoor. By Asmita Aggarwal What happens when you have more than 100 showstoppers paying tribute to the man, and the myth, who left behind an unparalleled legacy? Rohit Bal when he was alive and when he passed on to the next world, always had a full house! Blenders Pride with the Fashion Design Council of India, presented an homage, a show curated by Chairman Sunil Sethi, with people whose life Gudda irrevocably touched, not just with his sense of style, but warmth and candour. Known for his abundant-skirts, crinkled, extravagant pieces resembling the vibrant life he lived, Bal’s friends, and family turned up in droves, to relive his magic in fashion, through his blooming roses on voluminous monochromes. Designer Ashish Soni dressed in a pleated, butter-coloured Bal, reminding us of classic whirling dervishes’ aesthetics, smiled, “I knew him since he was 15, it’s a huge void he has left in fashion.” The ramp was decorated with chinar leaves, a memory that Bal often recounted growing up in Kashmir, his motherland, till he was 17, moving to the capital to find his way in a world that was still nascent; as the first NIFT has just opened, serendipitously timed with his foray. He studied at the prestigious St Stephen’s College, through his velvet boleros with Kashmiri embroidery, crinkled kurtas, he courted an India, which was ready to consume fashion-post liberalisation. It was the Circa 1992, foreign brands still could not enter our country, FDI in retail hadn’t been approved, which in a way was great, as it nurtured homegrown labels. At Le Meridien hotel, with over 600 guests, the night was a sea of black, with of course a robust bloom…the eponymous poppy, pleasing chrysanthemums roses, lotus (on the painted stage), they kept making fleeting appearances on his delightful tunics. Designer Raghavendra Rathore, remembers how Gudda was his “extended family”. When he came to Delhi he was guided by where to buy German shoulder pads, the Palika Bazar in the early 90s, how they all cut patterns for common fashion friends on the floor. “Gudda was exceptionally unique, most focused, and gave me direction. My earliest memory of him was helping me during my first show in Jodhpur, 1994—he negotiated fittings and models. It was all new for me, Gudda took it on himself to be there, more importantly help—twirls he asked the girls to do were phenomenal. He had a generous way to offload wisdom, he was most unique. I just stood afar and watched the whole thing,” adds Raghavendra. Bal was forward thinking, and understood, it doesn’t matter which royal family you belong to, as long as you have talent—fashion then was the purest community, everyone wanted to help each other—in the 90s. His iconic show in 1994, was historic, he used muslin (cheese cloth, which had then no relevance to the luxury segment) inspired by the Taj Mahal, held at Hauz Khas. It was the dawn of Indian fashion, where he created kurtas for men; he had the power to push unique thoughts. Femina, First City magazines of that era lusciously picked it up and made it an anthem. Soon one saw Katra market churning out his flower motifs, he was the original leader of the pack! His references from the Calico Museum, you can see in his heritage silhouettes, how much he picked up on old patterns, elevated and recognised them. Khadi too—seriously, he was brought back into the “It world” way back in 2000. Signs of being ahead of the game were always omnipresent—he knew recognising the future was daunting, and required a big change. At the Saturday showcasing in Delhi, Kashmiri live songs, complete with traditional musical instruments set the rhythm. Rezon’s Kalyani Chawla opened in a crinkled tangerine dress, closely followed by model-turned lenswoman Sheetal Malhar. The roses were bold and bright in the starry night, and models wore desi gulab, another one of Bal’s favourites, that hung from their nimble wrists, as embroidered parrots danced on sleek branches, revving up sherwanis. From choreographer Prasad Bidapa, in a necklace, lithe shawl to Vidyun Singh and Asha Kochhar, as graceful as ever in white sari, to Varun Bahl in an embroidered floral tunic, it was all heart. Some decided to just dance, as filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar known to have modelled many characters from the style world in his blockbuster “Fashion” couldn’t keep away. Bal’s proteges, Pankaj-Nidhi, who trained under him and got married, to Jenjum Gadi and Sahil Kochhar, Dhruv Vaish, Anjali Kalia, to Countrymade’s Sushant Abrol, made sure they paid their respects. The “Page 3” world came in full throttle –Priya Sachdev in pink and gotta, filmmaker Mozes Singh certainly knows how to preen, to Laxmi Rana and Sonalika who made sure Bal’s love for volume was celebrated. The coup was getting 80s supermodel Shymolie Varma, she had walked for Pierre Cardin, moved to Paris, to work with Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Max Mara, the half-Bengali, Punjabi and English model danced. Interestingly, Bal’s driver, his clothes man Rajinder, and best sales person Akriti at his boutique were included in the homage on the runway. Former model Inder Bajwa to actor Muzzamil Ibraham and boxer Vijendra Singh wowed in Singh is King glittering dress, complete with an eagle motif. The entire Bal family was well represented along with the former Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sagma, and leading Indian cardiologist and Chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta Medicity, Dr Pravin Chandra. Model and actor Rahul Dev and his partner Mugdha Godse have many engaging stories about the legend. Rahul first met him at the most happening nightclub in Delhi, Ghungroo at Maurya Sheraton. Bal was accompanied by the frontrunner of style, Rohit Khosla. “I met him with my late wife Rina—his long, flowing golden locks caught my attention,” says Rahul. Vimal ads were huge in the 80s and 90s—(big
In Fine Print
From Picasso, to Banksy and Mr Brainwash, Salita Nanda reinterprets art pieces through her unique rendering of hand illustrated prints in satiny draped dresses. By Asmita Aggarwal Born and raised in London, Salita Nanda studied at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, and then further honed her skills at Domus Academy in pattern making. The Indian community in the UK was vibrant, she decided to launch her brand in 2014, later moved to Mumbai after she met her investment banker husband. Known for 3 D printing, and selective laser centering a technique which accentuates conceptual prints, Nanda combined this with hand painting and illustrating original artworks, in the ready-to-wear line. “Growing up, I observed my mother loving all types of fabrics. She understood how to convert them into stylish clothing herself. We would go to different suppliers with her, that’s when I knew clothes would be something that I would do in the future, of course, in my own interesting way,” she smiles. Even though Nanda belongs to a family which is into construction from Pune, her father took the road less travelled and started the food exports industry in the UK. There was a void in the UK, in custom-made occasion wear, she teamed up with her mother, winning a clientele from Mumbai to Dubai and UK. “Prints are our signature, colorful and fun, most of the time they are inspired by artists,” she says. Some years ago, it was Picasso and his painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (The Young Ladies of Avignon, originally titled The Brothel of Avignon) from 1907 by the Spanish artist now part of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. “The angular, unusual body shapes, some Egyptian, African, and Asian styles were converted into paintings. Each of the five women were represented with symbols we handmade and broke down the colour ways, adding gradations,” she says. Art has been a recurring leitmotif in her collections as she was fascinated by graffiti street artist Bansky known for his political statements and also his protégé Mr Brainwash or Thierry Guetta, a French-born Los Angeles–based street artist. He reworks popular imagery as well as some from Jeff Koon’s steel balloon animals and Banksy’s ‘Throwing Man’, in a playful manner. “Mr Brainwash has designed album covers for Madonna’s Celebration, and Red-Hot Chili Peppers I’m With You, among others,” she adds. She is searching for an Indian artist she can immortalise with her artworks reinterpreting them uniquely. Satins, organza, crepes, on flowy silhouettes, and drapes gives each piece unmatched fluidity. “There is a song that has been playing in my head. It is about the sky. It is a 60s song, vintage but represented through the hues of what we see when we look above,” she says. It is not your typical blue—but yellows, pinks, and flaming orange, to depict changing seasons and ties of the day. “This year we have spray painted and also used watercolours mixing it with hand illustrations,” she explains.
“Embroidery is our DNA,” says Ashdeen
Dutch artist Patrick Bergsma and his broken ceramic pottery where bonsai grows is where Ashdeen found his stimuli, though his simple shapes complement the complex needlework techniques he uses to offer modern jackets. By Asmita Aggarwal Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala is a trained textile designer from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (2002), with almost 22 years in this space, he decided to embark on a journey to really understand embroidery—2012 was when he decided to anchor the ship, launched his label. For a country which can’t get enough of embroidery, in any form, Ashdeen seems to have made the right choice, the only differentiator is, he doesn’t go where everyone has been, he uses these delicate age-old techniques on shapes and styles to serenade a younger audience, like his competition Patine. Growing up in Mumbai to a Parsi, working class parents, he was encouraged seeing his older sister study fashion design, and decided to follow her footsteps, at 17, he joined NID. Worked with NGOs, export houses, wrote extensively for magazines, his label was a result of providence, not premeditated. Ashdeen was working with a company in Los Angeles, used to import embroideries to America, till one day he made a Parsi gara for a friend, there was no looking back, he had found his market, from word-of-mouth. His experience was in-depth, working in the backend, he understood processes, techniques, markets, finance, how to run a business, and grew faster even though he started “late”. “I did my own shoots styling, wrote my press notes, it was a 360-degree learning, to know every aspect of the business,” he says. Twelve years in the business, with three stores (Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad), Ashdeen believes embroidery is no longer a cultural aspect, it is all encompassing—you can wear a brocade jumpsuit, Parsi gara jacket or Kanjeevaram skirt. “Embroidery is part of our DNA, there is a new appreciation for it, consumers are ready to pay the price for the effort/labour intensive techniques. Honestly, 80 percent of my clientele is not Parsi, even though we have a dwindling population in India,” he admits. Parsis began trading with China in the early 17 century and saw these heavily embroidered pieces, they decided to bring it to India, Mumbai became a thriving centre. “Embroidery attained a new identity, it was Oriental, they adapted it for themselves—the jabla, wearing it, grew within the community. Trade blossomed, women kept the pieces, to be passed down to the next generation,” he explains. This year —birds, cranes, flora and fauna, chrysanthemums, peonies, roses will bloom on the LFW X FDCI Ashdeen line, almost looking like you are “painting with a needle”, inspired by the works of a Belgian artist, who creates magic with broken ceramic, letting a plant grow inside, almost giving you an image of an imposing floral arrangement. “Raised in a family of antique dealers, Patrick Bergsma was surrounded by art – using bonsai trees and using them in broken vessels, the visuals struck me,” says Ashdeen. It seemed as if fragments of time had been pieced together, almost like kintsugi, which he has attempted to portray in patchwork, without the Bollywood glam, simple shapes. Social media has put in so much pressure, how do you show classic ensembles, each piece is a labour of love, craftsmanship, so much consumption on Insta, how do we slow down? It is the question that plagues him. “It takes almost six weeks to make one piece,” he says, adding, “it is heavy on research, then polishing and finishing takes time. But I do feel this is where I find my creative stimuli. If I didn’t design, I would be a travel researcher and photographer,” he grins.
Builder’s daughter Monisha Jaising constructs ‘bling’
35 years in style business, the doyen believes, her biggest contribution has been keeping alive classic Indian ethos. By Asmita Aggarwal Her father was one of the biggest builders in Mumbai, specially the Bandra area, though he taught at the London School of Economics for many years too. Narain Bhojwani and Monisha Jaising share a common love for architecture, and interiors, even though fashion was her ultimate choice. The inventor of the ubiquitous kurti, (like the LBD) a multipurpose garment 35 years ago, Monisha felt it was Indian yet global-you could team it with jeans, skirt, dhoti, palazzos. It was kind of channeling Boho chic, a mix of what she learnt at the Royal College of Art, UK and her Indian heritage. She admits there have been more high points, than low ones in her career, her collaboration with star daughter —Shweta Bachchan, making jerseys for Mumbai Indians, “creativity gives me happiness”. Even though she faced recession, commercially sometimes things don’t do well, she believes “it happens in all businesses you can’t lose your bounce”. Her biggest contribution to fashion over three decades has been the modern woman, even the youth to live and like classic clothing, keeping Indian spirit alive! Some years ago, she paired her laser cut lehenga with a plain white knotted T-shirt, telling us you don’t need a bustier or a choli, this can work too! “Don’t think about building a brand, even if you don’t have your own, start working, gain experience. Look at Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquiere or even Sara Burton, they all worked for huge luxury labels,” she adds. There is a world of difference from the time she began, to now, no one understood why “fashion” when she began. There had to be education and awareness, “we had to convince and educate people, it was tough to get jobs, easier to open our own labels,” she explains. “Retail is booming in India, we had to tell customers, we are selling ‘fashion’, not ‘ready-made clothing’ there is a fine distinction between both,” she laughs. Social media has altered the psyche of buying, it has its pros and cons—you can either leave your brains on the table, or indulge in serious marketing tactics. Earlier we would spend a lot on marketing, editorials, and TV ads, “Instagram has finished all that—you can put out what you want in your own voice,” she says, “it has democratized the business—a fresh graduate has the same tools as me to expand her business.” Monisha over the years, hasn’t lost her sense of humour and giggles, “A young woman today will wear whatever her mother will tell her not to, she definitely wants innovation as she is able to see the world with a tap on her phone. How people dress –Pondicherry to Turkey,” she adds. Now is the era of mix and match—top from Zara, trousers from Fashion Street, you can put it together ingeniously, you look affluent. “I live in Bandra, I see young college going girls every day, who may not be as widely travelled, the way they swish their sunglasses, hipster jeans looks like they know it all, this is due to the information tornado on social media,” she admits. After almost four years, Monisha is back in Delhi for LFW X FDCI, she confesses laidback styles and her love for bling is eternal, MJ’s clothes can be worn anywhere. “Fashion degree always helps, you can be a designer even if you don’t have one, but learning is faster,” she adds. Co-Ord sets, blazers and of course the kurti have been her defining offerings to the Indian style-scape, “I love shine, but I use it judiciously, control it,” she admits. Besides, fashion, her love for spaces comes from her father, diversification does not interest her, but if given an opportunity she would have started a design college. “Fashion is ever evolving, I loved how glamour was edgy in Oscar de la Renta’s rendition of luxury, stylists have really upped the ante,” she adds. Sometimes they help sell, to customers who trust their judgement more, “homegrown labels may not have the knowledge of how to present that’s where stylists come in and change the entire perspective.”
80% feeling, 20% aesthetic sells a garment: Dhruv Kapoor
Dhruv Kapoor brings his PSS (print, surface and silhouette) tastes to the Denim Edit by FDCI, at LFW as he handpaints, laminates, embroiders the versatile fabric. By Asmita Aggarwal He is a regular at Milan Fashion Week, and his 10-year-old brand, was nominated earlier for the International Woolmark Prize, but Dhruv Kapoor is undoubtedly a favourite among the swish set. His hybrid blazers, balloon vests, Indian Devanagari bold type phases for branding, t shirts that announce “I dreamt we spoke again” or “We were lovers in the past life”, he also handcrafts leather, mixes it with crochet to create totes. Kapoor denim sometimes comes with little teddies embroidered sitting quietly probably waiting to be picked up, or his interstellar shirts, cargo jeans, stamped hoodies, the whole perspective is young and almost irreverent. While in Milan he worked with Etro, where the family-owned business of the Italian label Gerolamo Etro introduced the paisley pattern—various forms and hues and their variations, it is the house’s signature design. Maybe from here he found his love for Gilets—though Kapoor does them in his own ways—sometimes in denims with a lot of zippers included for a futuristic feel. His forte remains denim, handcrafted, and if you look closely there is toy flower jackets, hand beaded, 3 D detailing and this also won him the Vogue India Fashion Fund in 2015. The Istituto Marangoni and NIFT Delhi educated designer, says, “Denim has been one of the brand staples since the beginning. We enjoy exploring diverse options that would help us enhance or uplift its appearance or natural properties. Denim seamlessly fits in every season,” he says. If you go through his e-commerce site it has three categories—man, woman and unisex and most photoshoots are done with models wearing oversized glasses— he seems to have a kind of obsession for them! And interestingly the bags are named “Seeker” almost Rs 50,000 seems tough to be sought! Participating at the FDCI Denim Edit, for the FDCIX LFW he has fused multiple formats in diverse configurations — raw, laminated, washed, embroidered, or painted. Interestingly each version performs differently. His aim is always to minimize waste and adopt circular practices. The design process would ideally meld old and discarded with new and innovative. “We annually release an upcycled collection that is built from leftover scrap and discarded items across multiple categories,” he admits. Kapoor signature has been printing, silhouette and surface, over the last decade, he has mastered the approach and perfected the details inside and out. However, it is essential to keep evolving season after season by learning from the previous seasons. “We are always exploring, adopting new technologies and techniques to update our process,” he explains. “What I read and the mix of cultures that I grew up in- always influences our design process. Literature addresses ancient legends or science from the Vedas, even some protopian fantasies. It is always a combination of diverse cultures through a blend of information coming from multiple eras blended to make them more relatable to the current system,” he explains about his love for books. With designers making a foray into the international markets through Paris and Milan fashion weeks, Dhruv believes the latter has been an exciting part of both the brand and his personal journey. He admits one always learns from the environment that surrounds us, Milan boasts a healthy and forward one, especially in the field of fashion, design and lifestyle. “From my understanding- the consumer is the same globally. It is 80% of the feeling and emotion a garment would generate and 20% of the aesthetic. We give in to how it would make us feel over simply how it looks. The only thing that changes is the climate and cultural impact of that region on the consumer choices- which are easy to implement and modify one product into multiple versions. But overall, they are all the same- they want the same things and all they want is to feel good,” he confesses. Denim remains such an enduring staple in every one’s wardrobe, Dhruv attributes this to its versatility that helps you blend two polar worlds of formality and everyday wear. Anything denim would always last long and work round the year. “I personally enjoy all versions of denim, my favourite a total denim looks in a sober enzyme wash,” he adds. There are no weaknesses or challenges but all learnings, in life. “My biggest learning personally and professionally is being patient- especially between two seasons and to let the creative process pass through the creative blocks peacefully, by diverting our attention into fine tuning the process during that time rather than getting frustrated. My strength is my team- their commitment, loyalty, and the countless hours they put into the brand is something I am very grateful for,” he concludes.
Blue blooded fit by Countrymade
Every setback in life kind of teaches us, for Sushant it was his brother’s sudden demise, he used the pain to pay homage to his memory keeping it alive each year. At the FDCI Denim Edit he gives the resilience of denim an interesting twist with hand painted leather. By Asmita Aggarwal It was a happy surprise to be part of the FDCI Denim Edit for Sushant Abrol, Countrymade, and a perfect fit as 50 per cent of his collection for a recent Paris trade show was crafted out of this sturdy material. “Trail Dust” conjures images of a dust cloud you leave behind, while driving on rugged terrain, it seemed to be in sync with what Abrol has been doing for the last five years-a sort of continuation. Thus, the dust cloud is an analogy of the essence of our journey, a bit like how with our travels we bring back memories. Denim for the show has been captured in its rawness, as it exudes resilience, much like the sole of shoes we wear, which get worn out, or our jeans which wrinkle over time, the fabric folds, crumples, these are the effects given by Abrol to show the veracity of time. “We don’t embroider tigers or leopards, or sequin birds, thus crumpling is our embroidery,” he smiles, adding, “lines play a very crucial role in denim—cracked, folds, we have worked with selvage denim, 100 percent cotton, we do not use stretch. Denim is inherently strong, and can play with many techniques, experiment, unlike something like Chanderi which may tear if put under pressure-as it’s delicate.” The label started as an homage to his older brother who passed away in 2019- Squadron Leader Samir Abrol died during a training sortie in a fighter jet crash. Abrol studied from NIFT, Mohali, in 2010, he wanted to join the armed forces passed the entrance for the Service Selection Board (SSB) but was not selected after the group discussion. His brother wanted him to start his own label, he was a class topper, but his life was cut short. The label never forgets him—somewhere Abrol keeps his aura alive. Though he is not showcasing it, he has a line of denim ecru, unwashed, with patchwork, camouflaging, applique, his signature looks along with frayed denim, in tandem with his military inspirations, a signature. The fraying for him depicts the journey of the “aged soldier” coming back from war brimming with experiences—the hues rang from black, indigo, and navy, screen prints of dust particles, splattered, bullion knots stitched unevenly-it was a show that brought out the concept together beautifully. “In menswear structure gives confidence, we add artisanal techniques, to make it interesting, but denim is no longer casual. We have constructed blazers, almost making it semi-formal, you can wear it for an intimate evening out,” he confirms. This season he has Safari suits, vests with leather accents, hand painted leather, which has already been picked up by stores in the Netherlands and Beverly Hills, US. The beauty of a Countrymade show is its music—which is written by Abrol himself, this time inspired by an Irish pub song, titled “Rocky Road to Dublin” by the High Kings. It became an anthem for workers who after a hard day’s work unwind singing about their day. Writing poetry, he has added all his collections names till now, almost ten, (Homecoming, Band of Brothers, No Man’s Land et al) in the song and composed it in the Irish lyrical style. “The idea is to enjoy the moment, also celebrating the perseverance of not giving up, to come up every six months with collections,” he concludes.
“I wanted to dress like my father,” Pranav Mishra
Huemn may be his alter ego, but the designer behind it calls himself a storyteller, who loves the possibilities of what denim can do; this season, he takes on a new journey by recycling creating invigorating landscapes in his anti-fit everything. By Asmita Aggarwal There is a huge conundrum between Pranav Mishra, the poet, and fashion designer of the rebellious brand Huemn, even though he says rather vociferously, he doesn’t identify with the latter. He has, in every interview, been repeatedly saying that creation is an “accidental process”, he only mirrors what he sees around him. Any poem, film or even collection, a creative entity comes alive when like a “child you let it go”, he doesn’t fit his oeuvre into a box of mood boards or theme, leaves it free-flowing. “It is a spontaneous process, just like I write phrases,” says Pranav. It is 12 years of the label, he started with Shyama Shetty, NIFT graduates, who now has taken over a different role—of a mother, wife though the Thailand-basen designer remains a stakeholder as well as advisor to Huemn. Pranav is not fazed by her absence, in fact he believes she is “omnipresent”. Fashion has changed though, “earlier there were many ‘gatekeepers’, Covid has altered the fabric, internet rules, and passion helps,” he explains. Diversification is the key, he admits Huemn was one of the first few to show sneakers on the catwalk way back in 2013, “we didn’t see our clothes being paired with uncomfortable shoes.” Lays was his most recent collaboration (they also tied up with Balenciaga last year), then Royal Enfield and Pepsi (which earlier associated with Alexander Wang). “It was interesting to work with corporates, understand how they think, as well as design something other than clothing,” he confesses. The result is you get more disciplined with any partnership, also it’s an opportunity to reach out to a newer audience. The only difference he sees when he works in fashion is the pace, which gets accelerated, as you are building something, “it’s a two-way street, someone is going to buy your product, I feel a sense of urgency to create a market,” he smiles. But when he is writing poetry, no sale is involved. No filter, just him and words, it’s free, the audience can like or discard it, it doesn’t matter even if he is trolled. He has loved literature, especially mid-19th century writers, but Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian poet has been most impactful in his life. “Can’t be friends with them, would have liked to, they are gone, but the only way to establish a relationship is to bond through their writings. It is like talking to my friends, four out of five will engage, one will just observe,” he laughs, adding, “Rilke mentally stimulates me, just like Charles Bukowski was a German-American poet.” He “shook” Pranav, the more he read, the more desperate he got to learn, and his design is an amalgamation of what he personally encountered in life. “I can’t say my collections are inspired by butterflies or Turkey, we don’t interpret, we allow the audience to deduce and feel,” he admits. This year for LFWX FDC, he has tied up with RRelan, sustainable, recycled fabrics were used, also in some ways limiting him, even though the brand is popular for its avant-garde denim, especially the hand made one launched in 2022, with a seven-step wash, to give textures, leaving you to wonder if it is a print? He doesn’t believe in machine-made, thus his blood-plasma textures look alive, surfaces excite him, landscapes are a favourite, which he also did in his Kashmir line, a few years ago. Endless scrolling on the internet has created a bigger appetite for fashion, design now, he says is a part of our lifestyle, everyday life is now an “occasion”. If you want to watch a film, you want to look good, it’s not just about dressing up for a friend’s wedding. “You won’t wear a lehenga for a concert, you will try a denim, nicely cut, we fill that vacuum,” he says. He agrees rather candidly, “he had to work on himself”. The entrepreneurial journey humbled him, “we can’t do things alone, team is important, there is no hand holding, each one contributes and is a stakeholder, I have lost my arrogance,” he confides. “I’m a storyteller, not a fashion designer, objective till today is not to create clothes. Only when we have something to say we show at LFW, after two years we are back on the catwalk,” he says. His first encounter with fashion was watching his late father, a published poet, dressed in crisp, white kurtas in the city of nawabs-Lucknow, “I wanted to be as sophisticated as him, soft spoken, funny and magnetic, I often debated how I should drape my shawl like him,” he concludes.
Luck doesn’t help, focus does: Payal
From her backless cholis to Aishwarya Rai wearing her award-winning Anarkali, Payal Singhal in 25 years of business has been consistent leaving theatrics to greenhorns, adopting practicality for survival. By Asmita Aggarwal Payal Singhal completes 25 years in the business of fashion, and if there is one designer who truly understands finances, it is the Mumbai-based guru of the “backless choli”. Her latest collaboration has been with the American sneaker company End State, that unfortunately could not be launched in India (due to laws changing) but is being sold in the US for $250. Designing the kicks with Stephanie Howard, ex-Nike designer, Payal says technology is the future as this one comes armed with a 3-chip futuristic approach. It is NFC based, interestingly they reached out to her, seeing her fan following (earlier they have collaborated with artists and musicians). “The shoe was a crossover between the East and West, June it was launched in the US, now sold online,” says Payal adding, it was inspired by Adivasi tattoos and she added her signature mukaish work, trying not to make it too Indian but global. You add brushed gold to this and you have a unisex sneaker. That’s not all. She has associated with Coach, also Namrata Lodha for hats inspired by the wheat farmers in Madhya Pradesh, she makes a line of kids wear, home, jewellery, resort wear as well as menswear, her portfolio is large and impressive. When she looks back, it is only resilience that helped stay afloat, keeping her head down and working, admitting “my career is not based on the luck factor” but a gradual graph upwards. She has survived covid, demonetisation, GST, and bad markets only to learn from those upheavals. “Innovation is the core of my brand; you cannot stick to a formula and make it work. I get bored easily, I need to be creative with my craft,” she adds. Twenty-five years is a long time to survive in the industry, when she started making Indo-Western with backless kurtas, to add sensuality, clients asked her “where is the back?” From 20-year-olds her customers, who spend more money than brides, Payal each season looks for excitement and freshness abandoning the complacency that comes with success. This year like always, there will be hallmark pieces—prints, fusion of art and architecture, shapes deconstructed and you cannot term her prints quirky or pretty. The backless choli remains her clients go to, and thus has been copied extensively too, the tasselling work added a new dimension to it several years ago when she started. “Luckily, I didn’t make any big errors, went slow, and sustained even during covid. We are self-funded, but tangibility and freedom helped us,” she adds. Payal has been a conservative businesswoman, never wanted to show off, flew under the radar, didn’t plan on opening a 10,000 feet store, when you visit her stores, “it is like having a chat with friends, not imposing or intimidating”. In 2005, she had a store in New York, which she shut down, even though she is the queen of collabs, she hasn’t ventured into the already crowded beauty segment, but came close to doing it. At 47, there is clarity of vision, every piece she wants to channel functionality and comfort. “Clothes should not be fussy, but easy, and clean, so repeatable. I always tell myself keep your eye on the prize, focus always works, and do not be in a hurry,” she adds. The LFW XFDCI line is a subtle nod to the 25 years, the first outfit showcased was the one she made, and won, for being the youngest designer in a Shopper’s Stop competition she took part in. “I was 15 years old, it was a national contest, the katarva cotton weave with a shadow effect won me the honour. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has worn the winning Anarkali, I remember,” she laughs. There is nostalgia in the show, subtle panels of zardozi in gold, silver, and black, Mughal motifs. “My dad was an exporter and the biggest lesson he gave me was practicality,” she adds. Though Payal has no appetite for theatrics, “storytelling is important but I have done it without it,” she grins. The line is just in time for the festive season — extensive gotta-patti, creamy whites, tone on tone, ghungroos for embellishment!
“Armani taught me to be me,” says Ankur of Til
Whether it was working with Armani or Bottega Veneta, even Sabyasachi, Ankur believes good design is instinctive, that’s why his latest line for LFWX FDCI is experimental, comfortable and inclusive. By Asmita Aggarwal He lost his grandmother, whom he was closest to in the family during Covid, she would always tell Ankur Verma, who grew up in Chandini Chowk, that of you have a til (mole) on your hand, you will always have money, this stayed with him, thus the name of his label. It is also the moniker for Till We Meet Again (TIL). Ankur was creative, doodling, decided to study leather design at NIFT Kolkata, then Domus Academy, Milan, Masters in Fashion & Accessories, as well as fashion management from London College of Fashion, though his focus has been body textures—freckles, wrinkles to folds, which he reinterprets through prints. The highlight of his journey was working with Armani, in Italy, though what changed his life was winning an opportunity to learn from Bottega Veneta, the only Asian to have cracked the competition in collaboration with Università Iuav di Venezia (IUAV University), Venice. It was the year 2017, the six months he spent at the headquarters of the famed luxury brand in Montebello, Vicenza, understanding simplicity of the intrecciato (braiding) technique, honesty of approach, were principles he still applies to his design process. “I had worked with Sabyasachi Mukherjee who is a maximalist, at Bottega I learnt how to cut it all down, making things austere but effective,” he laughs. Ankur confesses growing up in the narrow bylanes of Chandini Chowk, he was a “very filmi boy” used to paint, indulge in clay sculptures, very inquisitive, decided when he was a tween, he wanted international experience. It was the year “Band, Baja, Baraat” a show was aired, on TV, only two designers are known in Kolkata-Anamika Khanna and Sabya. He pursued Sabya, went unannounced to an Aza event, the designer seeing his enthusiasm invited him to his office the next day, and hired him, noticing his undiluted passion without asking for his portfolio. Sabya taught him artisanal strengths, embroideries, dyeing techniques, worked on the Buckingham Palace, London project with him, designed 1,000 hairbands, embroidered niftily, bangles, mostly accessories, in 2012, upcycling along the way. His first encounter with fashion was watching Ram Leela in Chandini Chowk, where he fell in love with how actress Raveena Tandon dressed in diaphanous saris, (he watched her sway in “Tip Tip Barsa Paani” from the film Mohra) he realised, “It is not about clothes, it is how you carry them—the sari magically transformed her,” he smiles. This year for LFWXFDCI, the show has real people on the catwalk, inclusive, experimental but always comfortable shapes, play of textures, thread work to zardozi, patchwork to upcycle waste. He had added Chanderis, hand spun cottons, and indulged in layering, offering separates, making each ensemble versatile and individualistic. The vibe is green, blues, olives, and earthy tones, “as young designers we restrict ourselves always looking for a winning formula, we try to be commercial, fearful of experimentation,” he admits, saying he launched his brand three years ago, took a big risk decided not to do any motifs. His constant admiration comes from the Skin Museum in Amsterdam, by Gunther von Hagens’ titled “Body Worlds”, it chronicles how happiness impacts our minds and then body. It is a kind of Surrealist approach, which he mirrors in his line, showcasing palms, and body hair through textures. But this theatricality comes from his participating in plays, at the National School of Drama, performing with greats like Naseer-ud-din Shah, Ashish Vidyarthi at the kamani Auditorium. He even got admission into the College of Art, but left it to pursue design. Ankur is a keen learner and says every nook and corner of his life, he has been like a sponge, he still remembers what he learnt at Armani, when he worked on a line of shirts in 2016, “was to be ‘me’, they kept me grounded and taught me to tell my story, be original,” he concludes.