Stepping into Angasutra, the store sparkles. It’s all because of the ‘Muse of Mirrors’ collection that is making a temporary home in the city. Upon telling this to Shyamal Shodhan of Shyamal & Bhumika, he simply chuckles. The collection as a whole looks like it would be right at home in Versailles’ gilded Hall of Mirrors.
As each client dons a creation of diaphanous tulles teeming with crystals and glistening embroidery, she transforms into a living bouquet with elements of 18th century extravagance and timeless Indian regalia, noting the intricate zardosi , aari and pitta formed carefully into crests, undefined necklines, the careful trimming of the hems of the lehengas and the impeccable structures of the sherwanis .
Couture for real
For ‘Muse of Mirrors’, the design-duo were inspired by their travels through Europe, especially with the lavish palaces and flourishing nature. “Despite being very traditional, this collection has a very modern feel because the inspiration is very vintage — a good mix for young people getting married, who are globally exposed and identify as global citizens with very Indian roots. “
The unveiling at India Couture Week naturally featured models, including actress Kiara Advani. While seeing the creations float down a runway is memorable for the designers, seeing their clients live out their bridal dreams in their designs is a whole other experience. Shyamal looks around at the excited brides-to-be who are swirling the opulent skirts about and looking over their shoulders into the mirrors. “When I see real brides wearing our creations,” he smiles, “there’s nothing like the radiance that shines through. That’s why each collection has a spectrum of options, dependent on taste, body-types and occasion. It’s equally satisfying to see real grooms wearing our creations.”
But there’s more to ‘Muse of Mirrors’ than pretty colours and flattering silhouettes; it addresses the very Indian convention of ‘that colour would never look good on me,’ allowing for the designers to build their creations to make something work — Shyamal underpins that this is the pinnacle of success for the label. He waves off the stigma of colourism when it comes to darker-skinned clients trying out hues like cyan or lavender that may be considered less-flattering, explaining it’s all up to the client’s happiness. He nods at a turmeric design that has already been booked, “It’s a very traditional colour, yes, but we have vintagey threads running through the top of it to create a pastel-look. Design decisions like this one break barriers. It’s not about our client feeling one with the collection, it’s about making something for them.”
Typically taking a year for each collection, Shyamal says he and Bhumika are constantly formulating and developing ideas. But he quips that “a collection is never done, and you’ll always want to keep adding to it.” And such a thought process never stops in some cases, continuing, “our first cuts are very conceptual, so we strive to make things more practical but, obviously, still very couture.”
So what does couture mean to Shyamal & Bhumika? For Shyamal, there are stark differences between east and west. “In Europe, I see the couture industry dying out. In India,we are very lucky that we have so many hands to make our collections. Our country is and will continue to showcase couturiers too, internationally. People say ‘fast fashion’ is what’s up, but couture can be done easily and quickly too, because you don’t need to plan for a lot of pieces, plus we have a large number of master weavers and artisans who work fast and well. I think the marriage between couture and India, south Asia rather, can be a lifelong and good one.”
More than green garments
Ever since their inception, Shyamal & Bhumika have embraced green ethos through every facet of their production — and it’s something Shyamal has valued since his upbringing and that one’s personal gain is never worth harming the environment. “Ever since starting my first business, which was in 1999 in Hyderabad, it’s actually just a reflex for us to use matka silks and biodegradable raw silks,” he avers, “We also don’t use a lot of electricity while using these raw silks, giving employees all the handwork. I want to take everything solar too. The saris in ‘Muse of Mirrors’ are an extension of Bhumika’s graduation project in reviving the Ahmedabadi weaving technique which is a dying art. Empowering the second generation of weavers and artisans is so important to us. In terms of setting up workers’ studios, we like to renovate old disused buildings rather than using untouched land to bring something anew.” Additionally, Shyamal unlocks his phone and shows the facade of an old building, and points to different floors and explains where people would be situated.
Ensuring every employee is educated, insured and empowered to communicate is part of the label’s sustainability goals as well, ultimately driving a whole new brand of design IQs.
