Twenty, 25, 30 — the numbers are big and the achievements, bigger. Between March 2017 and March 2018, India’s fashion industry is celebrating quite a few anniversaries: Suneet Varma and Madhu Jain hit 30; Abraham & Thakore, Ashish N Soni, JJ Valaya and Payal Jain turn 25; and Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Namrata Joshipura and Rajesh Prathap Singh make it to 20. “More than just decade markers, what’s to be noted is why these designers have been around for so many years,” points out Sunil Sethi, president of FDCI. “Having a signature of their own has made all the difference — be it Suneet’s European sensibility, A&T’s love for textiles and handloom, JJ’s bridal or Ashish’s clean western lines.” With thousands of graduates waiting to enter fashion every year, Sethi believes they need to learn from the experiences of the veterans, on what it takes to be here and survive. After all, they gave India’s nascent fashion scene a jump start. “It’s no longer about in-your-face costumes. Their designs are aspirational and accessible, and the business of fashion today means you can buy what you see on the ramp,” he says, pointing to Amazon India Fashion Week’s ‘See Now, Buy Now’ campaign.
We speak to five designers on their journey, the changing industry, and why things look positive.
David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore
I catch Abraham in a pensive mood, listening to the radio, reflecting on a busy 2017, and an even busier 25 years in fashion. “It’s been quite a feat of endurance,” he laughs. “It was not all good fun.” A&T’s silver anniversary encompasses many highs and lows — from selling at time when no one wanted to touch “boring handloom” to navigating a changing economy. But looking back is not something that the creative director of Abraham & Thakore does too often. “I think in the now. Everything is a natural progression, like our approach to design, where nothing is ever let go of completely — we explore an idea, refine it, leave it, then go back and refine it again,” he says.
Changing times: When they began in 1992, very few boutiques retailed Indian designers. So A&T looked West, to England. “We were selling in shops that sold clothes from top English, French and Italian designers, so it forced us to question and develop a perspective that was unique to us. It forced us to develop a perspective that was unique to us. It led us back to our resources and cultural base,” he explains. In fact, they continue to work with the craft clusters from 25 years ago — jamdani from Bengal, ikat and Mangalagiri from Andhra Pradesh, bandhani from Kutch, and the like.
While Abraham feels the influx of new talent today is heartening, he is most excited that younger designers are showing a strong engagement with handloom, sustainability, up-cycling, and the like. “More designers are also developing clothing for the ready-to-wear market now, rather than couture, and I’m hoping this trend grows.”
Roadmap for 2018: E-commerce will be a big thrust, with a larger website and tie-ups with other select platforms. “With a new partner on board, we are going to expand the retail footprint quite aggressively from this year. We are also working on making a large part of our collections more accessible, with more affordable prices,” says Abraham. Sustainability is key, too. “We are against the throwaway culture; our designs don’t follow short-term trends. And while we do work with a certain amount of recycled garments, we are looking at sustainability from another perspective — sustaining the craft and preserving livelihoods.” Up next is a collection with a softer approach, floral motifs and more colour. “I’m also playing with the idea of the trouser in India. We have a history — from the salwars and churidars , to the aligaris . I want to see how we can derive shapes for a contemporary wardrobe.”
First show: Our first branded collection at The Conran Shop in London was fabrics and garmentsindouble ikat or pochampalli . We still repeat some of the designs.
Suneet Varma
Passion and perseverance are words Varma lives by. And 30 years in the industry hasn’t dimmed his drive. “When I started off, India was on a high — Festivals of India were being conducted around the world, I was observing street fashion in New York and the incredible textiles of India, and Hauz Khas was becoming a little hub,” he looks back. “But I’ve had my tedious times, too.” His education in Europe and working with Yves Saint Laurent, he admits, gave him a different perspective. “I also pushed boundaries — I was openly gay, creating these incredible breast plates back then as an ode to Botticelli, which people looked at as titillation,” he says, recalling how he’d also burnt his fingers with One MG Road (the designer mall begun in 2002, which shut after a demolition drive). “It was a disaster. I lost two stores in the span of 24 hours, and my career took a step back, by almost a decade.”
But that’s where perseverance stepped in. Much before collaborations and capsule collections became trends, Varma was doing them. “If One MG Road taught me something, it was not to put all my eggs in one basket. So I started developing embroideries and doing print work for Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, and DKNY. I also began a consulting business — I was the creative director at Judith Leiber for six years, a consultant with BMW (for 10 years) and Swarovski for over 15, and now am working with Arttd’inox,” says the 50-something.
Changing times: The fashion industry is shedding heirloom and going the lighter, more stylised couture way, he feels. And while a few designers like Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice and Aneeth Arora of péro are breaking through the clutter, he believes we are a young industry in need of nurturing. And government intervention is what we lack. “Around eight years ago, L Capital, the investment arm of LVMH, came down to speak to four of us about investing. But none of the conversations went anywhere because they felt India was not organised enough in its retail and distribution, and they took their $600 million and went to China instead,” he sighs.
Roadmap for 2018: E-retail is the way forward, according to Varma, and he is in talks with one of the big players. “This will also make a big part of our range for accessible and affordable to people.” He is also looking to diversify is offerings for the home.
First show: It was in 1991, called Greek Sculpture. It had long choga -style drape coats and saris with crushed silk pallus , beaten gold discs and moulder breast plates.
Namrata Joshipura
How did a state-level hockey player and disgruntled BCom student become a designer? Joshipura loves bucking the trend. Despite stating that “I don’t feel I belong in this league”, the veteran has completed 20 years in the industry, with an oeuvre of modern, body-celebrating silhouettes. “When I started out, there weren’t many opportunities,” she says, explaining how a short stint abroad had her missing the first wave of multi-brand stores. “But so much has changed now with multiple formats of retail and a changing aesthetic that suits my sensibility.” She’s also fascinated by how seriously people take fashion now. “With more celebs than models endorsing brands, and stylists working with us, it’s so aspirational. People come to me with pictures of Alia Bhatt on the ramp and order the same piece.”
Changing times: Indian fashion has seen a distinct progression, she feels. “The works of veterans like Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal and Suneet Varma are very couture and special occasion driven; then there’s us — like Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Rajesh Prathap Singh, and me — who are very high-fashion and prêt; and finally the younger lot, who are exploring a contemporary, minimal space, with no embroidery and the like.” But the challenge is to stay relevant. “The imagery is very Instagrammable, and many brands have made it because of their popularity on social media,” she says. While that means there are more mediums available, you can also lose ground quickly.
Roadmap for 2018: The market is tight now, says Joshipura, so she wants to sustain what they are doing and do it better. “I also want to work on a sportswear line, and build our own e-commerce platform.”
First show: I took took part in my first fashion week in 2004. It was a New York street wear-inspired collection, with lots of sequinned dresses and knits.
JJ Valaya
A miffed CA student in Chandigarh in 1988 sold his books to the raddiwala for a sum of ₹ 274, and that decision went on to change Indian bridal wear forever. That aspiring student was Valaya, and a few months later, he was at NIFT, then the only fashion institute in the country. For a designer who launched his solo label after flipping a coin with his best friend, Ashish N Soni, Valaya today has, besides his couture label, a home decor brand and is a published photographer. The first mover advantage was undeniable, he says, about starting off in a nascent Indian fashion industry. He credits the late Rohit Khosla, who he calls the father of modern Indian fashion, for initiating the concept of Indian fashion. “The disadvantage of being first, though, was that we had no benchmarks to follow. It was the era of no media coverage, one TV channel and no readymade stores for high-fashion,” he explains.
Changing times: “What’s happening today is that the new order, other than a handful of designers that are truly talented, are mass cloning each other. Fabric, embroidery and sparkle — even the photoshoots are identical,” he rues. That’s a pitfall of 10,000 designers graduating each year today. Some designers do stand out, though, for Valaya. “Aneeth Arora of péro is extremely creative and her work has a distinct look, while Pankaj and Nidhi are also great,” he adds. Valaya’s support of the next gen is seen in Alika Project, where he got 25 young designers to reinterpret his iconic design.
Roadmap for 2018: Valaya has a lot of collaborations planned for the coming year, including a range of carpets. Later this month, at the Jaipur Lit Fest, he will be launching his book of photographs of Goa, called The Little Book of Memories.
First show: These are always special, and mine was the first solo show in India. I remember showcasing five collections, featuring a lot of georgette, tussar and crepe, which were really big then.
Ashish N Soni
What started as a chance modelling career led Soni to the National Institute of Fashion Technology, where he then became a designer. After launching his label in 1991, he was also the first Indian designer to put on a solo show in 1993. And now, he says, 25 years ago on, “the journey has been great irrespective of all the struggles. I’ve learnt a lot from Rohit Bal from the time I spent assisting him. Besides, Sunil Sethi helped me lot in a personal capacity over the years”. What’s changed? “Fashion shows have become boring, to be honest,” Soni says bluntly, never one to hold back when he thinks of something that has to be said his opinion on fashion in India. “The presentation needs new zing, and conceptual shows are the need of the moment.”
Changing times: Soni admits the current generation has it much easier than when he started off, adding that the most number of successful fashion designers have come out in the last 10 years. “Today, if you are clear about your brand and have a story to tell, it takes just three to four years to make a mark. The ‘gestation period’, so to speak, has reduced, he adds. According to him, brands like péro, HUEMN and Lovebirds have all managed to stay strong conceptually, from day one, and have made an impact. “The platforms and events available to them today are the key differentiator. If you have talent, nothing can stop you. And the time taken to get noticed has been radically reduced due to social media.” Thanks to e-commerce, there is no hindrance to getting your product out to the market, he believes.
Roadmap for 2018: Soni has his sights on a mass market line that will cater to the youth of the country. “I’m going to take the halo that working in couture has given me and use it to create something more affordable for the youth, while remaining edgy and fashionable,” he adds.
First show: It was held at the Hyatt Regency in New Delhi, in 1993. It was called Marrakech. I used lots of noile silk that was new then, and it was the first time I dabbled in Indian womenswear.
