Sashikant Naidu is a recluse, almost. He is reachable to friends and the loyal clientele he’s built up over the years but he’s uncomfortable with the frills that come with fashion weeks — the attention given to stars, high-profile attendees and the cocktail evenings. He admits to being an introvert. “I am a misfit; I’ve have often wondered what I am doing in a glamour-driven industry. I cannot change who I am simply to fit in. I like to work with real people,” he tells us, as he packs his bags to Lakme Fashion Week winter-festive 2014.
This is his third outing with LFW after 2010 and 2012, when he showed summer collections. Both the collections fetched him good reviews for his use of hand-woven fabrics, natural dyes and kalamkari. “I don’t give in to the vagaries of fashion. Be it a youngster who looks at what’s in vogue or an assured woman who prefers time-tested elegance, at some point, everyone likes to have classic outfits in their wardrobe. My creations don’t go out of style,” says Sashikant.
At LFW, he will be showcasing a line of separates put together to create 16 different looks. The line is called ‘Separe’, French for separates. “Any of these separates can be teamed up with what women already have in their wardrobes. There are stoles, dupattas, scarves, skirts, palazzo pants, tunics, jackets and dresses,” says Sashikant.
The designer is known for hand-woven saris with hand-painted kalamkari and he isn’t relegating it to the back burner. ‘Separe’ includes saris and blouses, but he treats them as separates than coordinated ensembles. “The blouses and saris work individually rather than a set,” he says.
Keeping with the spirit of winter/festive creations, Sashikant has used crepes and textured khadi. Sashikant began working with kaarigars and weavers for the saris months ahead and for the western and indo-western separates, a couple of months ago. “I don’t sketch a pattern and rigidly go by it because what looks good on paper may not be practical. Each fabric, with its different texture, lends itself to certain silhouettes and cuts,” he says.
Eco-friendly colours, tribal jewellery and hand embroidery figure in course of conversation and Sashikant says, “I love anything done by hand.” He has been a design consultant and advisor for Kalam Creations, spending hours with kalamkari craftsmen and giving a contemporary design-edge to their time-tested techniques. “I’d be lying if I say I am making a major contribution to their work. I try to directly or indirectly help them,” he says.
Sashikant doesn’t feel compelled to showcase his work at fashion weeks each season. “Each designer has different needs. I am cut from a different cloth. This is an industry driven by visibility and hype, which in turn bring in business. At the same time, there are designers who stay away from the hype. I’ve survived all these years despite being away from Mumbai and Delhi,” he reasons.
