Enter Good Earth on Road No. 12, Banjara Hills, and there are chances that you will walk out with a ‘Mogra' draped around you in a classy style.
The store with its display of designer Sanjay Garg's new collection ‘Mogra' is narrating a ‘mogra tale'. “I had included a lot of quirky things like birds and parrots in my earlier designs. This time it is summery and small and mogra,” says Sanjay as he makes himself comfortable. “Mogra is a small, tiny flower. You cannot see it but at the same time cannot ignore it. It's the same about my collection.”
An alumnus of the NIFT-Delhi, Sanjay's fashion statement has always been classy and minimalist. When young designers turned to west to walk in their fashion street, Sanjay turned desi . He began his work with the traditional Chanderi weavers assisting them with their designs and showed how one can combine fashion with grace and elegance. He has already cobbled together an enviable dossier of achievements. He is the winner of the British Council's Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award for 2010.
For his fashionable customers, there's a lot of choice within his brand Raw Mango, which deals with contemporary hand woven textiles such as saris, fabrics and stoles. However, working with crafts has its share of limitations, agrees Sanjay. “There are limitations as when we create, we should take care that the craft doesn't lose its identity and individuality,” he says.
“There is huge work which goes on in every collection. That's why we create only two collections every year. We serve only the best,” he says with a smile. He is often found at his studio at Chattarpur, where he travels to everyday from his Delhi home. He believes that a woman need not look like a banyan tree with lots of accessories while wearing a sari.
There's an edginess to his designs and his secret of success is his colours. Having grown up in Rajasthan, Sanjay believes India is his inspiration. “Look at the Teej Festival in Jaipur or visit Tamil Nadu and you will be bowled over by the colours. I have grown up seeing my grandmother wear lahariyas . Colour is the soul of my collection,” he says.
As a young designer, Sanjay gets to interact with a lot of students who want to work with him as internees. “There are enough designers working on western garments. Weavers are wise enough and there is cheap labour available here. If you have ideas and are passionate, one can be an entrepreneur in crafts. Why cannot we sell crafts as a brand?” he asks.
Finally, he says his love for Chanderi saris has seen a change. ‘It's not love anymore,” he says and quickly adds, “You know what I mean. It's like being married and being responsible,” he signs off.
(Sanjay Garg's exhibition of his new collection ‘Mogra' at Good Earth ends today)
