This year saw city’s fashion fraternity break out of the shadows of Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru designers and hold their own in the national scene. They appeared in leading fashion magazines, made Indian weaves glamorous, experimented with vintage allure and gave a fairytale twist to ethnic wear.
Leading the pack were model Natasha Ramachandran and designers Gaurang Shah, Archana Rao and Anushree Reddy who took the road less travelled and paved the way for others to follow.
On the world’s ramp
Natasha Ramachandran
Just a year old in the industry and 23-year-old fashion student and “Army kid” Natasha Ramachandran has already worked with every major Indian designer and has appeared in Vogue, Garage, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar (China), Glamour (Dutch), OOB and Be (Paris) among others and has also travelled to Paris, London and Germany for shoots.
Graduating from Nift-Hyderabad with an overall excellence award, Natasha made her debut with the Lakme Fashion Week last year. “I’ve always maintained a balance when it came to academics. I never wanted to mess with my studies. I feel you need to provide yourself with a secure and stable foundation. I gave a shot at modelling when I came to Mumbai a year back. Moreover, this is an industry that I studied about in college and to get such exposure has been amazing. And I guess I got lucky too,” says Natasha, now based in Mumbai. “It also helped that I was signed by a good agency as they know this business really well and can guide you better.”
All geared up for her second year as a professional model, Natasha says, “I love travelling and that’s one reason why I love my job. So, I am hoping for more of that in the coming year.”
Picked by Vogue
Archana Rao
Slow and steady wins the race and that also describes Archana Rao’s journey. The designer who made a quiet entrance in the fashion scene chose her work to speak for itself. Recipient of the prestigious Vogue Fashion Fund 2013, wherein she won Rs 25 lakh and a one-year business mentorship with a professional from the industry, she created a buzz in the city with her unique designs.
“After developing a strong base in Hyderabad, the plan is now to expand to other cities by hosting trunk shows, retail outlets etc,” says the designer.
“People are always on the look-out for something new and that’s what my garments had to offer. I didn’t face any major challenges as I was able to create curiosity among people with my innovative clothes,” says Archana, whose work can be defined as effortlessly feminine, yet visibly strong.
For aspiring designers, Archana has two words. “Slow down,” she says. “There is no need to hurry. If you have got a fashion degree, make sure you get work experience or an internship before diving into the business of fashion. It’ll surely help you in the long run.”
A hit on YouTube
Anushree Reddy
Having been in the industry for three years, 29-year-old Anushree Reddy has already got the success chart of a well-established designer. Presenting her designs at both the seasons of Lakme Fashion Week, Anushree got tremendous response from bloggers and magazines.
“YouTube videos of my shows garnered more than 15,000 ‘likes’ and I got a lot of appreciation for my work, and for a newcomer that’s a big deal because these are the statistics of a designer who has been in the industry for long,” says Anushree, a “confirmed workaholic”.
In 2014 the designer aims to get out of her comfort zone and challenge herself. “Now that I have a strong foothold in the industry, the coming year is going to be a testing period for me. I am going to come up with designs for Western clothing, experiment and research more... just get into things that I might otherwise not attempt. Also on the cards is the expansion of my line to others cities,” she says.
Off to Milan
Gaurang Shah
The designer has been in the industry for more than 14 years, but with actresses like Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Kirron Kher sporting his designs this year, the designer finally managed to change the perception of handlooms belonging only in grandparents’ closets. “A lot went into the clothes I made this year. For the usual off-white and beige Kancheevarams, I used gold and employed 100-year-old designs. The jamdani-khadi sari worn by Taapsee took eight to 10 months. There’s not going to be another piece like that as the workers were so exhausted with just the one,” says the designer.
Encouraging designers not to forget their Indian roots, Gaurang says, “Designers must experiment with Indian weaves and not just ape everything that the West comes up with. Indian handlooms can be a designer’s USP and aspiring designers must take note of that.”
Next year will start on an exciting note as Gaurang is getting ready to participate in the Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks.
