GAURI & NAINIKA
Indian design duo at The Design Collective
Indian designers Gauri and Nainika Karan are set to launch their first ever collection in Sri Lanka at The Design Collective this weekend. The sisters famed for their creations which are reminiscent of old Holywood style glam are much admired figures in Indian fashion circles. Their creations have been spotted on the red carpet across the world and they have a legion of celebrity fans who clamour to wear their creations. Their label caters to those who like to dress with a sense of occasion. The styles are for a self-determining woman who is sophisticated, elegant and embraces femininity in fashion. A fortuitous meeting in London with Shahili Gomes, the Co-founder of The Design Collective led to an invitation for the sisters to launch their collection in Sri Lanka. In an exclusive interview with Life, the sisters reveal their plans to take Sri Lanka by storm with their fashionable creations.
WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED 14 YEARS AGO YOUR STYLES WERE DEEMED AS TOO WESTERN. HOW HAVE YOUR DESIGNS EVOLVED SINCE THEN?
Our styles have always been western and inspired by European fashion history and old Hollywood glamour. The brand still retains this DNA and though we keep evolving and reinventing ourselves, the essence of the brand will always be the same. As young girls I would say the brand was definitely younger in its design philosophy and as Gauri and I have grown, the brand has matured as well.
HOW DID THIS TRIP TO SRI LANKA COME ABOUT?
We have always wanted to launch our brand in Sri Lanka. It’s such a similar market to India. We were fortunate enough to meet Shahili through common friends in London and when she asked us to launch our line at the Design Collective we couldn’t have been more excited.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIONS?
Timeless, elegant and feminine. Subtle but at the same time always with a hint of drama. We have always made flattering clothes that celebrate the female form. Our designs are for a woman who loves fashion and glamour and loves to dress with a sense of occasion
WHAT WILL YOU BE SHOWCASING IN SRI LANKA? WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR INFLUENCES IN FASHION?
Inspired by European fashion history, art, music, books, personalities, theatre, old Hollywood, red carpet glamour and pictures of their mother from the 70s, the brand has always had an extremely feminine and romantic design philosophy with styles that are luxurious yet understated. With a strong emphasis on fabric, cut & colour, the designs focus on shape and flattering silhouettes. By combining tailoring with drapery, the garments are meticulously crafted and have a timeless appeal where old world charm, fantasy and elegance are brought bang up to date. Femininity forms the essence of the label where a combination of drama and subtlety can be seen in even its simplest styles.
WHAT ARE YOUR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS?
Gauri is great with conceptualising and planning whereas I am good with pattern cutting, sketching, figuring out construction details and execution. But we always design together. That’s something both of us do and are used to doing together!
WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR FABRICS FROM?
All over the world. A lot of it is from China and Korea but the silks will always be Indian and the laces are always French. Sometime we use Spanish and Italian fabric for special pieces and couture collections.
We have always wanted to launch our brand in Sri Lanka. It’s such a similar market to India. We were fortunate enough to meet Shahili through common friends in London and when she asked us to launch our line at the Design Collective we couldn’t have been more excited