A wanderer’s eclectica, a touch of humour and panoply of whimsical elegance expressed through fine embroidery and splashes of bling characterise designer Sanchita Ajampurs work. Its not hard to see why Frieda Pinto,
Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Beyonce Knowles and Shakira wear her clothes. And why her label ‘Sanchita’ is sold across 38 stores worldwide through showrooms in France, Germany and Italy (besides her flagship store at the Leela Galleria in Bangalore). A Sanchita store in Delhi and another one in Mumbai is part of the wishlist, along with an expansion of her menswear line.
How does this Bangalore based designer, meld together her Indian roots with European sensibilities so effectively?
“I was born in Mumbai but moved to Europe when I was three. Most of my early education was in Austria and England. I graduated in Fashion at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute
Couture Parisienne and rounded off my studies in Milan with a Masters in Fashion and Technology from Domus Academy,” Ajjampur explains. She speaks several European and Indian languages, indulges her global palate and enjoys her Bangalore home, that is filled with vibrant colour and carefully chosen art. She is a frequent flyer to Paris and Milan and fondly remembers her 1990 design project at La Scala Opera House, Milan that involved a range of “apparel projection clothing images”.
At her most recent 2012 Spring Summer showing, the designer used a range of fabrics that ranged from ‘crunchy cotton to paper silk and ultrafine jersey.’ She imbued them with tints of ripe fruity colours like watermelon, cherry, and pineapple and subtly dressed them with sequins. From swimwear in metallic colours with touches of glitter, the collection then flowed on to kaftans, printed pants, textured skirts and evening gowns.
On the whole, her most recent resort wear range carried touches of Bollywood and ethnic art put together with Avant Garde European sophistication. “We target the ‘bold traveller’ who needs a wardrobe that is fun, versatile and individualistic,”she says.
That Ajjampur does not take herself too seriously is evident in her designs. And also in the way she choreographs her shows. A Jill Scott track “Clearly I am not a fat ass” has her models sashaying down the ramp wearing bikinis embellished with shiny embroidery and teamed up with oversized turbans. Some of her shoes and accessories also reflect tongue-in-cheek irreverence: geisha doll earrings, bejewelled bugs, ballet pumps and bags in engineered leather. Tall purple suede boots with embroidered panels and Moghul-inspired jewellery cosmopolitan edginess that is quintessential ‘Sanchita’.
The fashionista travels to Europe every four to six weeks to stay on top of her game. “ My label is definitely not easy. It incorporates a lot of hand-crafted work and value additions. It caters to a niche market. It’s very European, but it works in India. I always wanted to take jersey out of the sportswear category and use it in couture.That was at once my toughest challenge, and thankfully my biggest success,” she explains. Ajjampur also believes that true creativity in design calls for a relaxed mind. “ In order to create the right holiday mood, I have worked on feather-light tops and dresses with art deco motifs. I’ve also used animal prints, Japanese pottery designs and bold graphics judiciously,” she says.
Drop-waist tops, sari T-shirts, ovoid vests and harem-style lounge pants added to the edgy experimentation that makes her line a distinct presence on the catwalks and in stores of Paris and Milan.“It is possible to take fashion out of the realm of conservative sensibility and make it practical.
Using Indian handcrafted art forms along with European sensibilities and modern technology is my USP,” she explains.
If fashion has GPS, you would know how to find her.