After his visit to the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, United States of America last year, there have been few things that have managed to ignite designer Manish Arora’s imagination, the way that radical festival of self expression did. It was an experience that etched an incredibly strong impression in his mind and he decided to do something with his unique understanding of people and situations from his time spent there.
Based on his interpretations, he has collaborated with Amrapali, in which he has given a Rajasthani twist to his experience in Nevada. ‘‘This seasons Autumn/Winter’13 collection is inspired by this incredible trip to the Burning Man Festival. It was such a beautiful experience of art, culture and life that I wanted to share it with my patrons,’’ says Arora, adding, ‘‘I always call myself a designer instead of a fashion designer, because it gives me limitless possibilities to explore my creative side. I have a hunger to design and thus I love diversity. Each time I agree on a collaboration, it has to be a new product. I have always been interested in jewellery and after a few fruitful meetings with the house of Amrapali, we were sure this was the right way to move forward.’’
In the collection, geometric motifs and borders give birth to the psychedelic imageries from his recollections of the Burning Man. Matt gold, lacquer coating, beads and holographic stones dominate the core design aesthetics. The colour palette comprises of blues, blacks, greens and gold, with hints of reds and greens—ideal for the upcoming festive season.
There will be an extension in celebrations at the design house as it is celebrating a decade of its presence in Delhi this year. “Founded by Rajiv Arora and Rajesh Ajmera in 1978, the store in the city was launched in 2003 and now my wife, Akanksha Arora and I are taking the legacy forward with one of our most successful collaborators, Manish. Bold and dramatic, this line pushes the boundaries of contemporary design and is specifically designed to wear in an international cosmopolitan context. The jewellery collection represents Manish’s take on modern India and how he wants to represent his vision on global platform,’’ says Tarang Arora.
In essence, the collection comes across as a traditional line up of bespoke craftsmanship and neat execution. There are rings, cuffs and necklaces with detailed application of enamel in vibrant coloured geometric designs. A unique feature of the collection are the turban jewels, nose rings and hasli’s (traditional necklace of Rajasthan, things that one seldom finds in modern day colle tions. And none of these have to be worn conventionally with Indian clothes. Like the models in the photos, you to can team the pieces with western garments and get a little experimental.
The price range for the above collection is Rs 3,000 to 60,000 and these are available at all Amrapali stores, nation wide as well as on their online portal—tribebyamrapali.com.