Designer Ridhi Mehra’s design philosophy has always been minimalist and structured, following the same is her latest offering titled, Basra. Her earlier works showcased both emerald and navratan stone belts, all inspired by jewellery. And Basra too is inspired by the rare pearls found in the Basra region which are sought after for their colour and smooth texture. “I have always been inspired by jewellery,” says the Delhi-based designer, adding, “This adds ornamentation to our garments, making them look rich and feminine. The inspiration for this collection has also derived from Basra pearls and pearls of various sizes have been extensively used to embellish the outfits.”
Mehra believes in unifying solid colours and floral embroidery. That’s why Basra showcases exquisite floral and geometric patterns from Islamic art and architecture, reimagined in delicate detailing with dori work, French knots and a scintillating play of sequins.
“I have tried to balance geometric patterns with our signature floral patterns, and highlighted the embroideries with pearls in various sizes. While florals add a delicate feel to the outfit, the geometric patterns form a structure to the embroidery and the garments, thus, complementing each other,” shares the designer, who post-graduation at NIFT, attended the School of Management at the University of Nottingham, and then started her eponymous label in December 2012.
Basra showcases simple and classic silhouettes. Mehra has worked on demi-couture silhouettes for lehengas and pre-stitched draped saris, lehengas and saris paired with peplums, belted anarkalis, jacket saris and pre-pleated saris.
The collection is in soothing hues of ivory, champagne beige and crepe pink to complement every skin tone and acheive a classic and timeless allure.
The fabrics too appear soft as the colour palette. Chiffon and organza for the flowy silhouettes, while raw silk has been used to achieve the required structure.
Talking about her journey, Mehra says, “It began seven years ago when I joined my mother who was already working in the fashion industry. Though I joined in the business section, witnessing the work and the kind of research that went into creating such elaborate outfits, I slowly got consumed by the beauty of the industry.”
Debuting with her collection Demure Chic, Mehra, over a short span of time saw her collections being adorned by the likes of Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Parineeti Chopra, Madhuri Dixit.