Bengaluru-based couple, Charan and Shilpa will be holding the London Fashion Couture in October
Charan and Shilpa
“When I was travelling across Europe, I encountered a number of luxury brands – none of them our own. Upon research, I figured that either the yarn or the stitch was ours, not the label itself. We too have several resources and a lot of talent that can be tapped into for a presence internationally,” says Charan, a marketing graduate from the Leeds Beckett University who runs SiriVastra – meaning “royal clothing” with his wife, Shilpa. In its first season, the two-day fashion gala at London scheduled for October will see designs by Tejaswiny Nataraj, Sancharan Sural Jain and Vandana Khanna. These designers are prepping for about 30 outfits each showcasing everything from wedding couture to street wear inspired by Indian fabrics.
“The idea is to be inspired by traditional weaves like the Kancheevaram and to give it a contemporary touch,” says 28-year-old Tejaswiny Nataraj of Sri Brahma who customises the traditional silk and visualises it into gowns, lehengas and designer blouses. “Celebrities once wore these silks down the red carpet and the trend is coming back and is bigger and better than ever before,” says the ex-Mayor’s daughter who has a fashion design degree from Vasavi Education Trust in Bengaluru. It’s not just rich saris in popular pastels and tasteful depictions of India – elephants, temples of Belur and Halebidu, peacocks and mangoes that stand out from her collection. With an eye for world trends, Tejaswiny’s mix also creatively constructs hand-treated denim with hints of crochet for western silhouettes as seen at the pre launch. “I make it a point not to show my clients anything that I’ve worked on previously because I want each piece to be one of a kind,” she smiles, operating out of her bustling boutique in JP Nagar.
Delhi designer Vandana Khanna’s collection Ocean on the other hand prides on rich embroidery and incorporates the bling factor with panache. “I also derive inspiration from what looks good on my 25-year-old daughter,” quips Vandana. Crafting an opulent range of Anarkalis, lehengas, shararas and cocktail gowns and drapes, the designer from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade has a range of colours in her inventory. “We pay attention to seasonal shades in vogue – a lot of magentas, reds, bright yellows and oranges are always in the mix,” says the 45-year-old designer whose luxury evening gowns in a combination of monochromes, coppers, grays and reds grab eyeballs.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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