“Pinterest and Facebook have made the works of designers so accessible that there is a lot of plagiarism. People imitate my designs. Dealing with that is the biggest challenge,” says designer Nandhitha Ramesh, who launched her label Merasal last year. But, isn’t imitation the sincerest form of flattery? She laughs, and adds, “Yeah, but not when they use my design, my fabric, my print, and even my model!”
The Chennai-based designer’s creations are unique. She has an interesting way of fusing fabrics, the mix of colours is refreshing and some of the experimental silhouettes, such as her dhoti sari, are practical enough for everyday wear. As a result, her work has managed to grab eyeballs. She once had a client who came with a picture of a blouse she saw on another boutique’s website. “When she came here, she realised it was first created by me,” smiles Ramesh. The 33-year-old is now ready with her second collection, Myriad, which will be showcased at the Folly in Amethyst, today. “It’s my first solo showing in Chennai. I have showcased in Coimbatore and Hyderabad earlier.”
Florals and abstracts
There are four sub-collections under Myriad. There’s Neelambari that has floral motifs in flowy fabrics; Meera that has garments with a lot of layers, like anarkalis with different variations and long jackets and skirts with exaggerated peplum almost reaching the knee; Aura, a world of abstract prints in varied cuts (none of the silhouettes has straight cuts); and Semi Colon, garments in black and white with a tinge of red and yellow.
This time, Ramesh has created a jumpsuit sari (which, she rather sheepishly admits, she’s kept aside to wear at the launch), a pant dress, skirt with layers, a kurti with pallu, sari with contrast-coloured broad pleats at the bottom... “I primarily make Indo-Western clothing,” adds Ramesh. When it comes to prints, it’s as diverse as giraffes, horses, birds, mushrooms, bottles, chappals and hands and feet. Inspirations flow in from the books she reads or the wildlife she sees; or, something as simple as Zentangles.
nandhitha ramesh
Coming from a family that’s into the garment export business, fabrics have always fascinated Ramesh. During her college days in Ethiraj, where she studied Corporate Secretaryship, she recalls travelling to Delhi during her holidays, to buy fabrics. She would then, with the help of her tailor in Coimbatore (her home town), create kurtis and fancy dupattas. “I was taking part in exhibitions even back then,” says Ramesh, who’s done her MBA from IIPM, but quit after a few years in the marketing industry, to pursue her passion — a career in the world of clothes. Even before Merasal, in 2011, she launched Turquoise, a bespoke unit in Besant Nagar, where the focus was on creating bridalwear such as saris, blouses and lehengas. The unit still functions, and she plans to continue running it, because of the bond it helped create with her clients. “I was designing for a lot of college girls, and then I did their trousseau; now, I sometimes, design for their children. So, it feels like one happy family,” she adds.
When she launched Turquoise as a 26-year-old, Ramesh was inspired by Bollywood. “ Band Baaja Baaraat had just released around that time, and my clothes were all bling, like in the film,” she laughs. But her lines for Merasal are a world apart — elegant, subtle and classic. Occasionally, she does get a client or two who wants her to make an outfit that she has seen an actress wear. “I insist I will not replicate. I read a quote by Sabyasachi, where he said to not look at the works of others, as it can subconsciously affect your ideas. I followed it, and it’s worked wonders for me.”
