By the time the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2019 ended on August 25, there was hardly anything that went unnoticed — right from who wore what to who designed what; everything was seen and heard. And with Hyderabadi outfits grabbing eyeballs everywhere, it came as no surprise that four designers from the city were noticed by everyone at the all-India level show.
One of them, Archana Rao brought exquisite embroidery and classic silhouettes to Fashion Week this year. Always inspired by stories, vintage photographs and textiles, Archana reveals that her collection was inspired by her experiences on a trip to the Nilgiris last year.
“This collection was inspired by a trip to the Nilgiris last December and I got really carried away by the flora and fauna as well as the landscape, which is what I wanted to recreate in this Fashion Week. We did a lot of embroideries, particularly 3D embroidery. We even created a radian to depict the landscape of the place,” explains Archana.
Being a proud Hyderabadi, the city’s traditions and culture have always influenced Archana’s work. “Hyderabad has a lot of history and heritage and one of my main influences is the local embroidery. Apart from the fact that I like to work on embroidery, it helps that I come from this city. So I try to pick a lot of traditional embroideries from Hyderabad and blend it into modern silhouettes,” she adds.
This year, Archana’s collection, “A Mountain Story” had a nostalgic element with clean and contrasting silhouettes. The collection also offered an exotic feminine side that will be adored by trendsetters for its relaxed and soothing colours, and for the gentle and fluid lines.
“What I make is wearable fashion, I want to make products for people that can be incorporated in their everyday closet. Everyone has a mood for these kinds of clothing and I don’t believe in dictating a head-to-toe look for any of my clients,” says the designer, who adds, “My clothes should be integrated with their own style. And that’s what I usually focus on.”
