A lover of Indian culture and design, Anupama Dayal is having a field day. Her Bohemian Ballad look book with a Frida Kahlo-esque Indrani Dasgupta is currently creating a buzz. It’s been nine years since her tryst with fashion began and her internationally celebrated label Anupamaa, is sold at stores across the world. Dayal is currently enjoying the taste of success of her S/S ’13 collection The Nile and the Kalinga, which is getting rave reviews for its boho-chic blouses. In a quick chat she tells us more:
Your inspiration?
I grew up in the Himalayas and embraced so much of the heritage that comes along with being born in this country. And I love all things natural and organic. Simply put, it’s a marriage of modern design with Indian culture and pro-earth choices.
Working with nomadic fashion?
Nomadic costumes carry an air of effortlessness and free-spiritedness. Another major part of this collection is the combination of Mughal and Bengal schools of art. Everybody wants your Bohemian Ballad blouses. It’s an interesting process and keeps to my pro-earth philosophy.
The blouse fabric, after being soaked in organic vegetable dyes, is covered with clay, rolled along a parchment and steamed in an oven for four hours. After steaming, we wait for a day to wash the fabric in sunlight as it oxidises the colour and makes it dazzle.
The major advantage is that the colour never runs. Depending on the design, the blouses are then hand-printed.
Anupamaa, priced between Rs 3,000 and Rs 15,000, is available at Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop.