THE TEXTILE CLASS

NUPUR KANOI, MRINALINI GUPTA, JENJUM GADI, AND ARCHANA RAO

AT THE BIRTH OF THE INDIAN FASHION INDUSTRY IN THE 1990s, it was names like Abraham & Thakore and Rajesh Pratap Singh who brought the beauty of local textiles to the forefront. They made previously overlooked khadis and cottons covetable through their neat cuts. Now, a select few designers are taking textiles even further, their innovative experiments, modern texture, and surface embellishments the next step in the evolution of textile-oriented fashion.

Hyderabad-native Archana Rao’s label Frou Frou features feminine separates with vintage floral embroideries, textures inspired by oriental carpets, and contrasting layers of soft organza, denim, and twill. Her fearless combinations make her a hot, upcoming favourite. A little north of her, Kolkata-based Nupur Kanoi also uses embroideries as texture, working with ornate crewel and Kutch thread embellishments, ribbon appliqué, and metallic yarns—a reflection of her time working under Anamika Khanna. “Textiles are an intrinsic part of the Indian life; everyone is surrounded by a myriad hues, weaves, patterns, and embroideries,” says Kanoi. And Delhi-based Arunachal Pradesh native Jenjum Gadi echoes this thought. Known for his extensive use of appliqué (something that is fast becoming his signature), he learnt the basics of textiles from Rohit Bal. “The fabrics you work with can make the same dress look different every time,” he says. Like Gadi, New Delhi-based Mrinalini Gupta prefers to add raised, 3-D elements to her designs, albeit in a more minimal, toneon-tone way. “I love working with fabric-on-fabric and also adding architectural elements to fluid textiles.” Having trained under Rajesh Pratap Singh before starting her own label in 2007, Gupta’s eye for detail and linear forms come as no surprise.