LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
WHEN YOU BLUR THE EDGES OF CREATIVITY
to bring in a sense of wonder, the result is almost always fantastic. India has had a history of producing the finest textiles, and designers here of working with local crafts and showcasing new and old India through their creative enterprises. Fashion has always been a means of expressing a cultural shift. While many of the designers of the 80s and 90s have struggled to reinvent themselves in the face of competition and shifting goalposts, the truth is that every year, a group of intense, conscious, mindful, young designers are coming into their own.
In this month’s cover story, we highlight four such designers who deserve their moment in the sun. For this, we decided to get a number of experts to give us their picks. So ace designer David Abraham shines the spotlight on designer Kshitij Jalori who is working with the wealth of textiles India has to offer and producing sustainable, ethical, Indian fashion. Stylist and choreographer Prasad Bidappa thinks Rimzim Dadu is a face of the future while Ensemble’s Tina Tahiliani Parikh picks Santanu Das of Maku, another designer who is gaining prominence within and outside the country. Jaspeet Chandok of IMG Reliance that has helmed the whole business of new fashion for the company picks Naushad Ali, a young Puducherry-based designer who won the Sustainable Wear award at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017 for his mindful use of material and simple, clean, designs. His name cropped up multiple times as we reached out to experts for their pick. He is on our cover this month as he prepares to debut his work at the London Fashion Week 2019 as part of the International Showcase section.
Diane von Furstenberg is a designer who invented the iconic wrap dress and today, the 71-year-old remains top of her game, designing with foresight and passion as she says, “I design for the woman who loves being a woman.” In The Sunday Times piece, she traces her changing design vocabulary and gives us a glimpse of the person behind the brand.
Parisian brand Berluti has been around for over a century, crafting fine leather shoes and accessories and now, the LVMHowned brand has a presence in India. Its master shoemaker speaks to Spice about the ingredients of a fine shoe and how you can make a bespoke pair truly count.
From Gemfields’ ruby mines in Mozambique to the big fashion launches within the country, our issue gives you a taste of fashion in mini bytes so you can style it right. Wrap your head around fashion’s newest picks.