It’s an exciting time to be a fashion designer in India. In the past couple of years, the runway has shifted from couture fashion and traditional ensembles to ready-to-wear. Indian labels have been coming up with edgy international designs that can hold their own against fashion from capitals like Paris and New York. They’ve got modern silhouettes, minimal cuts and neutral colours; the trends that will dominate Indian prêt. Here’s a look at some who are expected to make waves in the near future.
Hangar Atelier
Created by Siddart Shasankan, a graduate from the prestigious Raffles Design Institute, Singapore, the label echoes his strong design ethic. The core of the brand lies in creating classic pieces, with a modern aesthetic, which speaks in a highly individualistic manner.
Siddart works with different textures and fabrics, and creates something that is truly out of this world. His attention to detail and drive for quality has pushed him to create technical and luxurious designs. His latest collection has been inspired by the exquisite Japanese art of Kintsukuroi with the tiger as the theme. Being at a risk of extinction, the animal is becoming more than a symbol in his collection, with a message of conservation. The predominant colours are Frozen Raspberry, Louie Lilac and Sage, hand-dyed onto a range of pure silk crepes and satin.
Mail: mail@hangar.co.in
Lovebirds
The brainchild of talented duo, Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh, Lovebirds makes simple yet striking apparel.
They deliver strong silhouettes that play around proportion and length. Khanna is originally from Assam, but has spent almost 10 years in London, where she received her diploma from London College of Fashion. Singh, from Punjab, has been living in Delhi for the past 10 years. He is a graphic and space designer who has also been working as an art director in advertising.
Their different backgrounds are very complementary: Gursi brings structure and definition, while Amrita explores her London fashion influence and her love for monochromatic themes. They’re inspired by decorations, architecture and nature and their designs reflect Japanese sophistication and Nordic minimalism.
Their latest offering is pure, clean and tailored with strong constructions. They are definitely a power duo that offers high-end apparel.
Website: lovebirds.net.in Mail: info@lovebirds.net.in
Ikai
Launched in 2012, this Lakme Fashion Week favourite has the talented Ragini Ahuja at the helm of operations. Born and raised in Delhi, she attended the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
Her designs are amalgamations of her upbringing and her travelling experiences. Being a graphic artist and an illustrator, her creations draw cues from her art which in turn has been inspired by nature.
She translates all this into crisp, straight lines and geometric figures. You can definitely see her strong artistic edge in her latest collection. Ahuja perfectly balances traditional techniques with a modern aesthetic. Her line offers very wearable pieces that look unique. The silhouettes are effortless and relaxed, with a delicate colour palette.
Mail: theikaispace@gmail.com
Huemn
They’ve been enjoying the spotlight the past couple of years, but the duo behind the successful label don’t intend to stop anytime soon.
They are Pranav Mishra from Lucknow and Shyma Shetty from Bangalore. When I asked Shetty what influenced her design aesthetic, she said, “What is a person but a sum total of her experiences?” You can already grasp a bit of her artistic genius from this response. She sees her aesthetic as multidimensional, like the layers of an onion. Conversations, memories, people, art and books have shaped her sense of design.
Her philosophy is definitely to stay true to herself and enjoy the beautiful journey.
Mishra is a true creative spirit: his inspiration is “very organic and fast-changing”: namely, change and chaos. “I don’t like settlement. Comfort is tiring. It makes me lazy. Chaos is fulfilling,” he says.
Their latest collection is chic, frenetic, sexy and definitely refreshing. Fabrics like velvet and leather give a very luxurious feeling to the collection, which balances the modern edge of the silhouette.
Mail: ps.studio7@gmail.com
431-88
Created in 2012, this contemporary label has been crafted by Shweta Kapur, a London College of Fashion graduate.
Kapur is originally from Delhi, but a lot of her design influences come from New York. Her minimal and clean aesthetic appears to be influenced by her childhood with a very organised mother and grandmother.
The designer is also an avid reader, and draws inspiration from every book. She has the ability to translate her inspiration into beautifully tailored designs like her last fall collection, which was inspired by her falling down a manhole. Plus, the pain from the fall appears as a print.
The depth of the manhole comes through the long dresses and high-waist pants. Kapur works with beautiful fabrics and her attention to detail can make the most minimal design a complex beauty.
The label also focuses on comfort with a sporty but chic silhouette, which caters to the needs of the modern urban woman.
Mail: info@431-88.com
Munkee.see.munkee.doo
What started out as an offbeat high-street label with a modern, minimalist approach, currently focuses on clean aesthetics and attention to detail. The brand’s makers, Teresa Laisom and Utsav Pradhan are from the beautiful states of Manipur and Sikkim respectively. Right from the people they meet to the places they visit, everything around them is a source of inspiration and creation.
They absorb the beauty of their daily life and infuse it their work. Their creations are a mix of understated beauty, with a street culture skew. Their latest collection celebrates disparities: contrasts between the old and new, masculine and feminine, elegant and relaxed. They represent the blend between effortlessly urban and tailored chic.
Mail: munkeeseedoo@gmail.com
They’ve got modern silhouettes, minimal cuts and neutral colours; trends that will dominate
