When designer Nupur Kanoi returned from her solo holiday in Africa, her luggage had a bunch of vibrant bracelets she had shopped for. Other than jazzing up her ensemble, these accessories soon became the inspiration for her next collection. Titled ‘Lost and Found in Africa’, she presented this line at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 17, where she showcased after a break of two years.
“When I was driving across from Serengeti to Ngorongoro, I felt lost. But, at the same time, I also found my inner strength. That’s how the title came about,” says Kanoi.
The Africa-inspired collection that’s currently showcased in Collage, has hoodies, concept saris with sporty blouses, shararas, jumpsuits and bomber jackets. These are fused with athleisure and feature a lot of sheer and opaque panelling. She has given a trendy twist to Indian textiles. The traditional bandhni finds itself in Western silhouettes. “The idea to use bandhni occurred to me when I saw men from a local tribe in Africa drawing dots on their body using bamboo sticks dipped in paint. The clothes are embellished with intricate glass bead-work, glass chrome-covered pipes and cutdaana. I’ve worked with a variety of cottons, from sheer to opaque, georgettes, crepes and gajji silks,” says the designer.
The earthy shades work even better against the black base on most outfits. “There is so much colour in that continent,” says an animated Kanoi, and adds, “When I was in the safari, an expanse of yellow land was all I could see. And, suddenly, there was an onslaught of colour when I reached a village where the locals were covered in bright beads.”
Africa has served as an inspiration for many designers in the past. How has Kanoi managed to keep her creations different? “For one, I stayed clear of animal prints,” she laughs, and adds, “For me, it was about what I felt about the place and how I saw its people.”
All charged after her last trip, Kanoi is now planning another to Spain and Italy. So, will we be seeing duomos and Antoni Gaudi-inspired clothes? One never knows.
