You cant ask God anything more than he has given you. It is this philosophy that helps veteran designer James Ferreira keep his head above water in the fashion industry. Where most designers are encouraging buyers to come into their stall, James likes to play music, jazz and classical from the 50s and dance all night long in his little loft where he stays alone in Mumbai. I dont know how to market, or convince people to give me what I want, but I know what I am good at and that is dancing. So I perform for my tables and chairs and it sets the night on fire, he laughs.
Showing at WIFW on the second day, James gave Indian kitsch a textile touch with artist Bhamini Subramaniam. We both teach at the same colleges in Mumbai and I always admired the way she could translate my thoughts into action. So the beautiful hand painted roses subtly blended into the fabric much like my quirky take on Raja Ravi Varmas paintings, he says, adding, It is what Shyam Ahuja did to durries, went back to the roots.
When James throws fabric on a dummy, he likes to do what he is told not to, that is, take the road less traveled. As he goes along the way, he creates something the challenges the set boundaries of what he has done before, since 1975, when he first started. And the high point for him remains that he is as contemporary as the 24-year-old greenhorn, who is competing for rack space at a retail store. My 14-year-old niece in Australia likes to wear my clothes and that I feel that is my biggest achievement. And the grandchildren of my original clients call up to order, which gives me a warm feeling of being liked and accepted into their fold, he admits.
Crepe de chine, silk jersey, plus monochromes rubbed shoulders with cute florals and gold embellishment in his modern interpretation of Ganesha frolicking with Cherubs on a windy Sunday night. One of the eight children who was told to go to church by his religious Christian mom, James often would skip it or go missing. But that doesnt mean I dont believe in God, it is just that religion is not meant to be worn on your sleeve. Even though in his line, it was flaunted on much more than just the sleeve.
After 50, James feels life is a dream, you can handle stress, it is the golden age for a man, you know yourself best and nothing ever hassles you as much as to drive you crazy. I work on my strengths like pattern cutting which is my forte, I can do it all night long. And then I also know my weaknesses which is my innate inability to market myself, I dont want to say let my work do the talking, but I would rather say, wait, your time will come, he laughs.
And a man who lives on a daily allowance, and doesnt know whether his balance sheets match, James ends on a philosophical note, If something is meant to be, it will be and if it is not you can try your best but it will still fall apart.