Charvet style shirts anyone?
From styling SRK in Mayur suiting, showing in NY in 2005, Ashish Soni has taken the road less traveled-fit, tailoring over dabka and zardozi. Next move- Arvind Mills and Soni style! By Asmita Aggarwal He is the OG of fashion, started in 1991, 2000 launched couture in a country obsessed with embellishments and embroidery, but he stayed true to fit and tailoring. He was one of the first to participate at the Olympus Fashion Week in 2005, when no one in India cared about the artistry of a perfect sleeve, he had kind of mastered it. Ashish Soni has been using Arvind Mill fabrics for the last 30 years, though they are primarily known to be leaders in making denim, they have a vast range—linen, wool blends. Their Egyptian cottons are so superior that it ignited a desire to use them innovatively. The collection Ashish showcased at LFW X FDCI will go live in 16 stores all over the country, they will handle production, knowledge transfer will be Soni’s responsibility. “I am a tailor if your raw material is good, magic ensues,” he adds. Ashish has been interested in the quality of linens they offer, the count matters, spinning strength, “earlier it was 50-60 now it is 120 counts, finest linen, there are many technological advancements,” he explains, even their 100 percent bamboo fabric, feels like wearing silk. Arvind Mills shirting material is the finest which Charvet uses, (French shirt makers, 1838 in Paris, France, by Joseph-Christophe Charvet, now owned by Chanel) that royalty and celebs can’t get enough of is now being offered to a discerning Indian consumer. Wool blends, super 200 are the best in the world, it is twisted 120 times, per roll, to get that fine-ness, now it is 150 to 200, which is being used by Loro Piana and Brioni, is being offered to Ashish to work with, it is the first for him. Is the Indian customer ready for this kind of ultra luxe minus the dabka, does he understand it? “We are educating people, even tier 2 and 3 cities, like Indore and Raipur, they have crazy spending power like Chandigarh. If they don’t know how they will buy what is real luxury in terms of materials? Thus, I am also crafting a style book on how you can wear a suit ingeniously, this will hopefully tempt them to buy,” he smiles. A tier 3 customer may not have the time to come and buy, so Ashish is taking the product to them. In a Metro competition is high, so many brands, already heightened awareness exists. “There are no DLF Emporio in Pune or Raipur,” he says, adding, “If you look at menswear in organized retail, the numbers are much higher, but it is vastly ignored.” Interestingly Ashish began styling in the 90s when no one knew what it meant, as he never did lehengas, saris or sherwanis, it was commercially difficult to survive. “No one wanted to buy a Rs 5000 shirt, with no embroidery in the 90s. Old, affluent families used to purchase Raymond fabric and get a suit tailored, it was tough to survive, I began styling,” he confirms. His first job was styling SRK for Mayur suiting, in 1993 before “Dilwale” was released. Saif Ali Khan and hundred others in Bollywood followed for almost 30 years. He says, “A second opinion when you put up a collection works best, as a stylist has 3 D vision. He has a clearer view than a designer, as he is not emotionally involved in the line. Plus, new social media audience is more visual and has less patience,” he concludes.
Fashion must be socially, politically conscious
Water hyacinth gets converted into nifty baskets for gifting and packaging, as Anurag Gupta gives sex workers a dignified life training them in weaving water grass, Pacchu Tola, Biskohar. By Asmita Aggarwal It was a bright, sunny day, Anurag Gupta decided to visit Bharat Tex, his gaze fell on a stall from Bihar, and saw how beautifully the bags were crafted. “On a closer look it was water hyacinth, (Jalkumbhi) or water grass, mostly seen as a waste material,” he says. Locals have found a way to put it to good use by making mats, baskets, bags, as it is a much better and stronger alternative than jute. The NGO Anurag visited rescued sex workers more than 1300, trained them in this craft, “what I liked is that they ‘made’ artisans in Hajipur, on the border of Bihar-Jharkhand, didn’t work with existing ones. The idea was to offer them a dignified life which resonated with me,” he says. Anurag grew up in Biskohar, Uttar Pradesh, he realized there is raw material available there too, he wanted to highlight the marginalized, often not spoken or written about, especially women who work in red light districts. “My village is divided into two parts; Pacchu Tola, is a red light area, even though Biskohar survives on agricultural produce these patches face extreme poverty and helplessness. Women lack employment; I wanted to speak about their daily struggles, politicians come during elections, promise things, situations remain the same,” he says. Anurag will pay them to learn how to weave water hyacinth, start training 30 women, they can work from home, he has aptly titled it “Jal se Jivika”. “This can turn to custom packaging, boxes for corporate gifting, and the product is fully sustainable,” he remarks. For LFW x FDCI Anurag has worked with knitted textures, stepped out of his fantasy world, is making a “commercial” line, minus the avant-garde drama. Shapes remain experimental, knitwear is woven, combined with jacquards, and interesting textures. “We must talk about protests, as a community, it affects everyone. It is important for fashion to be politically conscious. Why should it be dominated by only Bollywood, stars, glamour?” he asks. His efforts have been to take the industry to the village, not other way round “we need to provide alternatives to people living on the fringes”. Social causes, putting a spotlight on what he internally and strongly believes in, Anurag felt he started with manual scavengers, but fashion media is partisan. “They look only at shiny people, privileged, don’t entertain me, maybe I’m not a people pleaser,” he confirms. Diet Sabya tried to police, and has fallen too in the trap of Elle, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, “big designers overshadow smaller ones who never get spoken about, just the top five are praised by magazines. How much will we talk about Sabyasachi. We know his contributions. We need to move on,” he concludes.
No Gucci or Balenciaga only Russia, says Sergey
Even though Russians have made a mark on global fashion, Demna Gvasalia, Guram, Lotta Vokova, post the collapse of the Soviet Union, Sergey Sysoev believes he wants to revive traditional folk arts-Gzhel ceramics, Vologda lace, this LFW he pays homage to the fragrant flowers of Ivanovo. By Asmita Aggarwal On 26 December 1991, the Soviet Union was formally dissolved, due to many factors, primarily economic stagnation. Till then they never knew what Coca Cola tasted or how well Nikes glided. There was a time in Russia when there was no exposure to brands, today they are huge consumers with a market of $2.59–$2.6 billion. That’s not all. Russians are creatively heading global brands—-think Balenciaga by Georgian Demna Gvasalia, now Gucci, and his brother Guram both launched Vetements, to stylist Lotta Volkova, born in Vladivostok, Russia, now styles Miu Miu. Sergey Sysoev showcased at LFW XFDCI, a label he launched in 1996, teaches art history in Kosygin State University, Moscow. He says, the former USSR is more than just Matryoshka dolls, Vologda lace, Gzhel ceramics as old as 14 th century, and silk shawls. “I have never been to India, it is my first time, but I know about the intense and deep love for colours here, as well as age-old textiles. I may not be able to name any, but I remain fascinated by weaving heritage,” he says. After 30 years of working in the industry Sergey loves folk art and craft, like porcelain painting, which is often used in tableware. “In my last collection I paid homage to Russian native ornaments,” he confirms, like Slavic, Byzantine, and folk-art traditions. Gzhel lace has been his favourite, eight years ago he reinvented decorations, into a modern language so that younger customers are serenaded. “I’m happy Demna and Lotta are doing well globally, very proud. I never set out to pursue recognition outside my multicolored country, I want to dress women in Russia,” he smiles. He is hoping to collaborate and understand Indian cultural and embroidery techniques, expand his craft, without losing focus on Russia’s cultural identity. The government is supporting Moscow Fashion Week, earlier they only had Mercedes and Volvo Fashion Weeks, but Putin is making an effort to grow domestically. “We wanted to break free from systems set up by European countries, hoping to nurture ‘Made in Russia’, which looks at what our people want, not what Western brands dictate,” he adds. “The Sarafan traditional Russian dress is also being contemporized in linen with hand embroidery,” he explains, adding there is silk which also elevates the ensemble. He combined knitted fabrics and the flowers of the city of Ivanovo, as homage to his mentor, designer Slava Zaitsev, who was born there. Inspired by the beauty of the region, known as “City of Brides”, “Russian Manchester” as it has a burgeoning textile industry. At the LFW show on the sounds of church bells ringing, and birds chirping, he showed his mastery over crushing techniques, metallics in three colours, predominantly tangerine, exaggerated bows, Jacquards and sheer. “I like stripes, my embellishment is restricted to yokes, so that it doesn’t overpower the outfit,” he says. Though the crushed gold, bunched up waists offer comfort, along with pleated dresses. His effort was to be restrained, thus mixing different diverse patterns often clashing to drive home the idea that fashion doesn’t need to be linear. “I grew up listening to Bollywood songs, actors, many movies were re-watched in Russia, saw one on my flight here too, can’t recall the name. The story was about love, washed with music and colours. I’ve seen Russians wait outside hotels for hours hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite movie stars,” he smiles. He admires the way Belgian great Dries Van Noten is inspired by India, how he uses the iconography, culture and its myriad aspects, dating back to his first trip to here in 1987. “His use of Ikat in 2022, Kalamkari, hand-painted and block-printed cotton as well as Kantha is spectacular,” he concludes.
Hey Barbie! looking swish in Mashru stripes
Aneeth Arora’s Barbie comes armed with the most crucial accessory, intellect, she dresses like Arundhati Roy and Meera Nair in Banarasi brocades and hand spun cotton, not in bodycon and her signature monochromatic swimsuit! Get ready for Barbie 2, Pero style. By Asmita Aggarwal You would never imagine Barbie and Aneeth Arora, two ends of the spectrum, one likes pink, the other banks on intellectual prowess! Interestingly, Arora is a risk taker, like collaborating with Hello Kitty and making it her own, Barbie for her is a versatile brand with unique storytelling. “Constraints help me think I feel challenged,” laughs Aneeth, showcasing at LFW X FDCI Barbie was created by Ruth Handler, debuted on March 9, 1959, at the American International Toy Fair, New York City, she was inspired during a European trip, 1956 when she saw the German Bild Lilli doll. Though Barbie’s body has been controversial since a 1958 Mattel-sponsored market study before the doll’s release, moms weren’t happy about having it “too much of a figure.” This 11-inch Barbie for Aneeth is not a doll, it is a journey, earlier children would play with paper dolls, but you had Barbies of all body types, colours, and professions when it started way back in 1959. You could dress her up any way you want. “Barbie loves dolling up, that’s where Pero comes in,” says Aneeth. She undertook deep R and D and believes Barbie can’t be put in a box; she had a pretty sporty and sexy wardrobe-vintage one dressed up in lace. Doll’s history is engaging, it started with Cabbage dolls created in the 70s, for girls to play. “My first Barbie was bought when I secured a good rank in school, so was the second, third one gifted. I am looking at Barbie not in the same way the world views her,” she says. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, grossed over $1.4 billion globally. This theme fits in with Aneeth’s larger love for nostalgia, with a child-like, innocent approach to fashion; fantasy world that kids create while playing is what she has serenaded her. “Whether it is author Arundhati Roy or Meera Nair Pero fans, they will find their pieces from the Barbie collection,” she smiles. The theme is “dream dress up”, even though Pero for a buyer has always been a combo of textiles and intellect, for a thinking woman who knows her mind, is comfortable with her body. Like artist Mithu Sen or her long time friend Himashu Shani. She this time too offers “classics” as she calls them, along with fun, and playful clothing, breaking the stereotype that Barbie has to be a certain “blonde” only. Pink and Barbie are synonymous, Aneeth will do the “girlie hue” but in her own way, as it can have million tones. “I did have reservations because I wasn’t sure if the brand expected me to do their version of pink,” she laughs, adding, “There won’t be any pencil skirts or bodycon. The first swimsuit Barbie wore which was black and white has been given an interesting new avatar with Chevron stripes woven in Mashru,” she explains. “Barbie loves stripes,” says Aneeth. Few know that Japan has been one of the biggest markets for her, along with the US, Europe. For the girl who came from small-town Udaipur, is now retailing from 300 stores all over the world. “Japan respects handmade, funnily it has two extreme sides, one is textile the Zen side, other is crazy Harajuku, both co-exist peacefully,” she says. A bit like Aneeth, sometimes “more is less” for her, the underlined emotion remains nostalgia, childhoods are not very different whether they are in India or abroad as innocence remains a common thread. “So is curiosity, isn’t it?” she says. With economic downturn, wars and political uncertainty, does Aneeth look at fashion differently? “I am just trying to bring happiness to everyone’s lives despite the dark era. When you wake up and wear something that gives you joy, that matters,” she adds. On a serious note, 300 artisan families are associated with the brand and 3,000 others rely on her, “clothes can’t solve any problems, but at least they make you feel lighter on a dull day,” she says. Her staples Chanderi, Mashru from West Bengal, vibrant stripes, pink on pink done in Banaras, Kadwa, to jacquard introduces us to Barbie who loves Indian crafts. “We have also dressed her in hand spun cotton, as well as Banarasi Brocades,” she smiles. This time she has done jersey, hand knitted, flat bed, as a plastic doll she isn’t that flexible, this is new and expected for her, crochet added for an extra edge. She has channelled her famous song, “Life in plastic is so fantastic,” chorus from the 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua with recycled plastic, with “Found Pero”. She is inspired by tiffin baskets called “Koodai”. It is a traditional, hand-woven South Indian basket, crafted using Chettinad plastic wire techniques in Tamil Nadu. “We have recycled plastic and made mini-Barbie bags,” she admits. Craft doesn’t need to be serious, even when she did Kullu intense textiles for Woolmark, many years ago, she felt the end consumer understood it better when you can add a bit of fun. “In a 20-minute show what can you really show, so I decided I want mine to be experimental. It is an experience we offer, you travel to a different world,” she says. The travesty is when Ralph Lauren uses Madras checks everyone writes about it, but here, they take crafts for granted. In a time when everything is AI and online frenzy, Aneeth opened a retail store. “I like doing things my way, when I am ready. When Barbie came to us there was this message, ‘you can be anything’ but I want to say, ‘you are already everything’,” she concludes.
Farmer’s son from coal mines wins Circular Design Challenge
He saw how his father repaired an old umbrella, or sewed mom’s old saris into a mattress for 9 kids, Saurabh Maurya from Singrauli understands substantiality as he has lived it! By Asmita Aggarwal Saurabh Maurya is from a non-descript town of Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, better known for the NTPC power plant, coal reserves, and mining, where most locals are employed. Like most impoverished children growing up in rural India who aspire for government jobs, Saurabh did too. He was encouraged at home to try for engineering and medicine, to give stability to his siblings, but it was a senior studying at NIFT who changed the course of a young, impressionable boy’s life forever. Saurabh decided to follow his heart, study fashion design in Bangalore-in hindsight it was the right move. He launched his label post graduating in 2019 believing that Margin or his brand Margn, will channel sustainability. “Isn’t that what margin means you have space to alter? I must confess where I came from no one even knows the word fashion,” he smiles. Quite apt! Eight years he has been working with the Lahaul, Darcha, Jhanjeli, and Spiti (Himalayan region) intermixing indigenous handcrafts with eponymous knits, creating a pool of 62 artisans, though he started with just three. “We added hand crochet and knits to this brewing cauldron along with my co-founder Rohit Yadav. This was part of our college project which made our hearts sing, so we continued,” he says. Rohit and he are vastly unique, the former loves finance and maths, Saurabh is free spirited, more creative. “I realised while living in Lahaul, tourism generates enormous waste-specially paragliding, he put that to good use along with recycled cotton. Parachutes were transformed into wind sheeters, trousers and work wear essentials like puffer jackets using mostly layering and appliques. “We mix knits with insulated material, but we haven’t forgotten Lahauli motifs, geometric, vibrant, multi-coloured nomadic patterns, which have won a GI tag too. As well as fruits, plants and flowers,” he explains. Most artisans don’t work in summer, they grow crops to sustain through the harsh winter, so Saurabh gave them more work when they are at home-warm, knitted caps, to covers. This wisdom came from watching his father crafting new things and repairing by age-old hand techniques. “He had no choice. I came from an impoverished family of 9 siblings. He taught us how to make things last as buying new or discarding broken things wasn’t an option,” he adds. His father resisted his attempts to work in fashion, he still doesn’t understand what he does, but after NIFT and much convincing he came around. “I had to tell them I could do it, give me a chance even though I had no angel investor or bank balance. When you are a farmer’s son, you are busy saving resources, you learn to live on little. I saw my father repair an umbrella with recycled plastic cover, make mattresses using my mom’s old torn saris,” he affirms. His CDC line is an homage to his indomitable spirit–titled “Origins”, how staying with him in the fields, sowing crops, he learnt life lessons, “how he would sell his crops, his strong ideals, perspective everything helped me reach where I am today,” he concludes.
Best couture becomes an heirloom: Jayanti Reddy
Jayanti Reddy believes good tailoring can be just as luxurious as heavy embroidery, balance is key, as she uses lighter base fabrics and strategic embroidery placement to offer brides unlimited comfort. By Asmita Aggarwal Hyderabad-based Jayanti Reddy has a sense of humour- despite being ferociously private, she says people assume “I’m constantly working or thinking about designs, but that’s not true! I’m a mom to a 4-year-old, that problem keeps me busier than couture does!” People rarely remember every embroidery detail—but they end up remembering how they felt, that’s how couture becomes part of family memories and milestones. “It’s something that’s preserved, not just worn once, that’s what makes it so special,” says Jayanti, who is known for her roomy shararas now a part of every modern bride’s to-buy list. Jayanti completed business administration and marketing from Case Western Reserve University, Ohio. She believes the biggest lesson she learnt coming from an established business family is that your reputation is everything. “Always deliver on your word. Relationships with clients matter more than quick wins. Stay grounded, no matter how much you grow,” she adds. The often-asked question is how every region has its own design language, but she believes both South and North have valued textiles and heirloom craftsmanship. “They just embrace grandeur and occasion dressing differently, Hyderabad has definitely evolved. There’s a younger, global client today who appreciates quiet over loud luxury,” she explains. Couture is made to last—not to be discarded after one season. Jayanti repurposed leftover textiles and embroideries across collections. “I believe longevity is the biggest form of sustainability. Luxury isn’t about ‘more’, but thoughtful decisions and beautiful construction, comfort and craftsmanship. Something you’ll still love 20 years later,” she says. After 15 years she has understood failure doesn’t mean you’re not talented. Fashion is as much a business as creativity, learn from what didn’t work. Resilience is probably the biggest competitive advantage. “My first show ever was at Lakme fashion week, Mumbai. I remember being far more nervous than excited. It was rooted in Indian textiles and craftsmanship. Looking back, I can see how much my aesthetic has evolved,” she confirms. She believes her contemporaries are doing well as there is a space for everyone to grow—Karan Torani is an incredible storyteller, has a strong brand language. Aisha Rao’s beautiful use of colour and prints, while Punit Balana brings fresh perspective and youthful aesthetic. “Banarasi has always fascinated me. We’ve worked with brocades, tissue, silks, zardozi, aari, dabka, naqshi and more. I enjoy taking traditional textiles into unexpected silhouettes. It’s about evolution. And this is what helps moving tradition forward,” she admits. She has admired legends, craft couture over the years- Tarun Tahiliani for his drapes, construction and timeless elegance—he’s influenced generations of designers. “Gaurav for pushing the boundaries of couture. His sculptural silhouettes, innovation and ability to blend art with fashion are truly remarkable. And I have to say, Manish’s ‘Maa’ collection left me completely in awe. It reminded all of us how powerful couture can be when vision and execution come together,” she adds. Men are the new adventurous lot and far more involved. They know what they like, they’re experimenting with colour and layering. Comfort is becoming just as important. They’re dressing for themselves, not just the bride, is the subtle difference she has observed. “This ICW there will be more structure, new layering, softer but stronger silhouettes,” she says, adding, heavy doesn’t always mean luxurious. Sometimes less is actually more. “Good tailoring can be just as luxurious as heavy embroidery, so I’d say balance is key.” She has used lighter base fabrics and strategic embroidery placement. It’s about celebrating Indian craftsmanship in a modern way. Looking at heritage through a contemporary lens. Biggest regret? “Not delegating earlier and trying to do everything myself. You build a stronger brand when you build a stronger team. Trends shouldn’t define couture. The best couture becomes an heirloom,” she concludes.
Welcome aboard glitter train
Falguni and Shane Peacock tell us your Punjabi suit can have a feathery dupatta, and harem salwar, as swans, Taj Mahal and camel safaris motifs frolic on sequinned lehengas; plus your denims can be worn with a zardozi encrusted jacket! By Asmita Aggarwal It is the first show in Delhi, for the India Couture Week 2026, it had to be larger-than-life, there is no one better than Falguni and Shane, the Peacocks to bring along some unadulterated glamour. The show began with a magnificent set resembling the Orient Express, legendary long-distance luxury train service created in 1883, to connect Paris with Istanbul—of course it was christened Peacock Express. The set a street in Paris, complete with tall street lights, which earned it the moniker, “City of Light”, in 1667 when King Louis XIV got tallow-candle lanterns installed. It mimicked an era in the 50s, replete with theatrics- as bell boys danced. The train set is not new, Sabyasachi Mukherjee had one too, ten years ago, where he debuted canvas lehengas. Where there are Peacocks, feathers can’t be far behind-there were flying everywhere- sequinned jackets, in midnight blue, mirror work peeking from inside roomy lehengas. Superman capes arrived too for drama, in sunshine yellow to deep maroons. The theme designers explained ranged from Byzantine mosaics of Rome, Belle Époque era of Moulin Rouge and Eiffel Tower in the early 18 th century, as well as Strasbourg cathedral known for its spire-like structures. In this mix were also the palaces of Bavaria and the white beauty -Taj Mahal. Empress gowns came with net trails, corsets with draped saris, blush pink gowns with slinky net trails with swans taking flight. Though the set was the highlight complete with velvet curtains, models walking inside it, dining, as engineered Jodhpuri style trousers fastened with FSP belts, came with smaller jacket lengths,. The soundtrack played from classic film- “Love Story”, 70s historic film, the bride is travelling to Paris for her wedding with vintage trunks, as sequinned belts cinched waists, and dupattas came pre-draped on lehengas. Listen … .here is the secret, Gen Z bride will cover her head but sequins and nets. Muddy browns for grooms and cobalt blue for brides, charcoal sherwanis with glittering sky burst shine, came armed with leather suitcases. Bonus: You don’t need precious jewellery with the FSP line, as you are on board the glitter train. Interestingly couture is getting simpler, lighter lehengas come with exaggerated pussy bow blouses in copper, which you can later team up with your jeans too. Denims had feathers too, as grooms sported jewelled brooches, fine Zardosi jackets. The Punjabi suit got a makeover—it is now worn with harem salwar, without abandoning the sequins, or the feathery dupatta as tiny ruby-esque stones worked as tassels caressing your back. It was an ode to monuments, camel safaris, emblazoned on lehengas- as FSP told us never leave shine behind even if you get hitched in the fashion capital of the world-La Paree!
Farming in Hajipur village to LFW with wool indigo denim
Farmer’s son Satendra Singh and Dilip Singh meet Anurag Gupta to showcase their experiments with indigo dyed wool in IIT Delhi paving way for jeans you can wear in winter, keep warm! By Asmita Aggarwal He is from a non-descript village, Hajipur, tehsil Saipau, Dholpur, on the MP-UP border, in Rajasthan, born to a farmer, his dreams were beyond the fields everyday he grew up watching. Satendra Singh’s school bag was hand sewn at home out of leftover Urea bags that came for crops nourishment, mom used to cut and stitch two handles on them, which went with his blue faded pants and rubber chappals. He decided to work on textiles, graduated from the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Jodhpur, and then from Bhilwara did his B Tech in textile chemistry. Cleared the entrance for IIT Delhi, to do his M Tech in textile engineering, little did he know his thesis would take him to LFW X FDCI runway. Can we make denim in wool for colder climates? You can’t wear denim in winter, is there an alternative for it? These were the questions that were swirling in his mind, when he began working with Prof B S Butola, Department of Textile and Fibre engineering, who told him to try indigo dyeing wool, it took two years to perfect this project! “The fabulous part about IIT is it gives you money for research, the challenge was to make denim in wool, machine washable at home,” he says. The product was handloom, wool Merino from Australia, so he decided to show the prototype to Levi’s. They loved it, and saw potential. Indigotex Private Limited, his company, is an IIT Delhi–originated startup, focused on R&D in innovative, sustainable textiles, protective textiles, and waterless technologies to reduce water consumption in textile industry. The company’s first product, IndiWool™️ Denim, is a wool-based, all-weather denim fabric that is machine washable. “Indigotex is developing ECOTEX wool and wool-blended machine-washable fabrics and indigenous lightweight breathable extreme-cold textile solutions (up to −30 °C) for the Indian Army which till now is wearing imported fabrics, in Siachen,” he says. They are funded by FITT-IIT Delhi, SIDBI and Ministry of Textiles. His trip to Bharat Tex he recalls a funny incident, with just his bag, after office, carrying samples, he knew nobody, “any foreigner going into a denim stall I followed and showed them my work, came back to IIT as I had no money.” Indian wool is underutilized as it’s too coarse, almost 70 per cent goes waste, farmers burn it, he says. In his village farming is only 4-5 months, rest of the time no work, in Dholpur, there’s no industry, unemployment, poverty, his idea was to start wool indigo industry there-with his company Indigotex. Designer Anurag Gupta decided to work with new materials like wool denim, for LFW, though his journey began from a village Biskohar, Ayodhya, in 2018, he knew it was going to be experimental. “Covid changed me. I decided I won’t work with craft but do something out-of-the-box,” he adds. In fashion they shy away from innovation, want to play safe as long as it is lucrative, he feels. He started working with knits, when most knitting units were shutting down, no work for them, exports affected due to high tariffs. “Knits are not considered a craft, but I decided to make knits in jacquards—overturned bird eye, ribbed, tuck, which no one wanted to do in small quantities, somehow I convinced them,” says Anurag. His signature though has been deconstruction, adding textures, subverting the template, cutting, slashing, which he says, “wasn’t accepted by clients, it was tough to survive for me. My themes too were unique-manual scavengers which no fashion journalist wanted to write about.” The wool experiment with Satender Singh, makes it softer and the roughness goes out, less water consumption, in more ways than one it is sustainable, also this wool after washing doesn’t shrink. “The surface is smooth and wearable and doesn’t feel itchy! Satendra Singh and Dilip Singh’s collaboration was a eureka moment for me,” he adds. Inspired by 18th century Japanese painter Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Anurag liked his landscapes, women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals, especially Samurais, seaside islands to dragons. “Fashion magazines make me feel like an outsider, also I’m not a people pleaser, rich privileged kids get more easy coverage as they are in the party gang, we know jugaad, started from scratch,” he laughs. He signs of by saying he wanted to show a film he made on pollution, a video as a brand, how it is affecting human life.
Life comes a full ‘Crcle’ for Varshne
From upcycling leather to using stainless steel as handles for bags, Varshne, the CDC winner with her label Crcle, is telling us being modern is valuing our textiles. By Asmita Aggarwal Born and raised in Chennai, her graduation project in 2020 at NIFT (fashion design) mirrored the most potent fabric that has been adopted by the West like never before-Madras checks. Varshne wanted to depict it in a contemporary way, made a jacket not inside out or reversible but upside down, on the back was Chennai emblazoned and when you flip it you see Madras—it was an ambigram. “Lots of things inspired me, how the colour bleeds in Madras checks, as it is naturally dyed, gives a new look to the fabric every time, ideal for Chennai weather,” says Varshne, who showcased her eco-label Crcle, at the LFW X FDCI titled “Dialogue”. South where she grew up was all about Kanjeevaram saris, bright hues, but as a kid she was all about baggy jeans and oversized shirts, complete opposite-a study in contrasts. Varshne or “rain” in Sanskrit launched her label in 2024, wanted Crcle “to close the loop”. The arts she imbibed growing up -Bharatnatyam, to hip hop, free style dancing, as well as being an avid athlete, long jump to marathons, instilled discipline and an understanding of conviction. Thus “Dialogue” her collection was a conversation between—those wearing it, making it and the material. “It is about emotion transfer, how human beings connect with the garment, making them hold on to it forever,” says the Circular Design Challenge winner. Using crochet (hand done by a cluster in Pondicherry), hand embroidery, with various shades of madder to indigo, making textiles with vegan wool, using korai grass (cultivated along the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu) which is traditionally used for mats in Chennai, she crafted bags with stainless steel handles. These can again be recycled and bonus: steel never loses its luster. “The beauty of crochet is you can completely unravel it, starting from the beginning, it becomes a fabric again. It offers endless possibilities,” she smiles. Another initiative she embarked upon was collecting waste leather from factories, who generally discard it, and are reluctant to hand it over. It was a challenge to convince them to give it to her, they couldn’t understand why she would even accept such small quantities. She segregated it colour wise, made bags out of it, giving them a new life. “My brand is menswear, but I look at it as unisex, anyone can wear it,” she admits, offering elevated essentials.
Khadi is subtle luxe: Shruti Sancheti
Adding Gond, Warli art, making motifs quirky, weaving magic in handloom clusters of Vidarbha, Shruti Sancheti gives Khadi a new spin to serenade Gen Z with her pret label Across 29. By Asmita Aggarwal When Grammy winning pianist Charu Suri (Shayan, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, known for blending Indian raagas with jazz) decided to wear Indian handicrafts, it was a hurrah moment as the trench style jacket in Maheshwari silk and tissue was a winner. The beauty of it was techniques used, jacquard, aari, dabka to Resham. In the business of fashion for the last 15 years, Nagpur-based Shruti Sancheti, says the style was Anarkali that resembled a gown, as Charu is from Central India, she added temple borders in Kosa silk that reminded her what her dad gave her mother (she is a Marathi mixed with South Indian roots). “Charu flew me down to Los Angeles, I styled her along with Suhani Pittie jewellery, I used a simple weave, added block prints to insides of the jacket—used Kutch karigiri, Kashmiri stitches, she wanted to look her age not like a fashionista. She depended on me as her fashion acumen was limited but she was sure she wanted to take heritage with her on a global stage, explains Shruti. Showing at the FDCI X LFW khadi showcase, she admits Gen Z associates khadi with a coarse, slubby fabric, mostly for older women, but with better treatments, they have observed it is more fluid, can be made up to 200 counts. “I don’t think Gen Z cares about virtues of Khadi, cool in summer and warm in winter, but the Japanese buyers loved it, so we decided to talk to them in their language—of separates, structured jackets not predictable saris,” she adds. There are many techniques—Nasi, silk or cotton from handloom clusters in Vidarbha, Maharashtra to Geech, or Geech Dana Bandhej, from Rajasthan, she has crafted within the line, working with Dhapewada cluster 20 kms from Nagpur. Her mul-mul cotton comes from Sausar, Lodhikheda, and Mohgaon handloom cluster in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. “Koshti sub-caste of Hindus, specialized in weaving Magtha, patterned borders using Dobby,” she explains. Today there are 7000 weaving families, but only less than 500 families are weaving. Shruti recently launched her pret brand “Across 29” hoping to represent crafts from the 29 states of India, done in textiles, as separates for a younger audience, including the Nagpur check and stripes, more international in its appeal, thinner, originally only restricted to saris, now she has made trousers and shirts. “We did a test drive of it in Paris and were pleasantly surprised at the response,” she smiles. She added Gond and Warli art, but not in its traditional format of women making rangoli, but quirky motifs like dolls walking dogs with sunglasses, or a tiger driving a scooter, she has taken creative liberties to serenade those who are disconnected from textiles. Her book “Weaves of Vidarbha” encapsulates the stories, and tales of the artisans, and their forgotten craft told through woven wonders. In hues of moss green, ivory, charcoal, you can mix, and match the wrap skirts in textured khadi. “Khadi is really quiet luxury, hand spun, time consuming and built to last,” she concludes.