THE NEW MINIMALISTS
DHRUV KAPUR, SHWETA KAPUR, SHYMA SHETTY & PRANAV MISRA, RUCHIKA SACHDEVA, AND NIMISH SHAH
SIMPLIFYING A GARMENT, or a collection, down to its very essence was often how designers looked at minimalism. Like Wendell Rodricks, who introduced the country to sleek, simply tailored Indo-western silhouettes crafted out of unembellished handloom textiles. However, today’s minimalists are resorting to it not for its own sake, but for reasons that are personal, ideological, or business-driven.
Take London College of Fashion graduate, 26-year-old Shweta Kapur, who debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week last season. “The majority is now opting for a more subtle look, and economic factors also play a role. People don’t want to spend much money on something that they will wear only once, so they opt for something simple.” Kapur’s tailored, sporty separates for her brand 431-88 are just that, unfussy yet ingenious. Mumbai-based Nimish Shah’s take on minimalism is an escape to a sweeter, sepia-tinted time. His unadorned retro twinsets and midi dresses, as well as his new knitwear line for Bungalow 8, echo the 28-year-old’s time as a merchandiser for Parisian label Chloé. “There are always people who want simplicity. Everything is so ornate today that you need something to balance it with,” he says. One-season-old Dhruv Kapur, whose columnar black creations—exactingly cut and spartan in their simplicity—could easily provide this balance. His dresses provide the perfect backdrop for dramatic accessories. For 26-yearold Ruchika Sachdeva of Bodice, as well as NIFT graduates Pranav Misra and Shyma Shetty of Huemn, wearability is the byword. From Sachdeva’s shirt dresses, high-waist trousers, and shirts, to Huemn’s monochrome concept sari worn with trousers—Sonam Kapoor donned this in Cannes last year—these designers are ready to prove that sometimes less can indeed be more.