The Arrivals

Fashion gurus introduce you to the young designers to watch out for

He claims to have been oblivious to what he was getting into when he decided to study at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in 1999. “I just knew that people looked good there, and made nice clothes,” says Gaurav Jai Gupta who hails from Rohtak, Haryana. However, Gupta knew he wanted an unconventional career and moved to Delhi to enrol at NIFT. “I didn’t know anything about fashion, didn’t know any designers, and went with what seemed best then,” he remembers the early days. Gupta, whose label is called Aakaro, recalls spending most of his college time in the library reading up on Japanese history and design. His college projects were more like art installations, with clothing made out of copper wires, and paper. “It’s the experience you create, the fabrics, the design that adds to the charm,” says Gupta who further went on to study textile at Chelsea College of Art and Design, London. HOMECOMING He set up his first studio in Delhi, The Collective, in 2009 where he and a few peers created handicrafts, ceramics and handlooms. His first show, of contemporary Indian wear was at the Wills Fashion Week, 2010. “I don’t believe in showing a collection each season. Till you don’t have something worthwhile, don’t put it out there,” says Gupta. COMING SOON A collection inspired by nuns, for the forthcoming Wills India Fashion Week Spring Summer in October 2013. “This line will see more colour, which is quite unlike me,” he adds. STORE 77/ 13, Corporation Shopping Complex, CP Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet TEL 044 42081767

“Gaurav does interesting silhouettes, his emphasis on design is brilliant. ”

SUNEET VARMA