Ishan Batra is living the dream of a fashion designer. A student of the World University of Design, Sonipat, he is currently studying in Kauno Kolegija, Lithuania. Batra is in Kolegija on an ERASMUS mobility grant. For the APKALBOS 2023 (‘Gossips 2023’) fashion show, he designed a capsule collection, ‘It was Bound to Happen’, which makes creative use of leather and metal, and deals, as he says, “with fetishes and sexual fantasies”.
Excerpts from the conversation:
‘It was Bound to Happen’— what did you wish to convey with the name?
The phrase ‘It was Bound to Happen’ means that something is very likely to occur. What made me choose the name is its dimorphic sense--the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different structural characteristics. The word ‘bind’, refers to letting your emotional guard down and being vulnerable to the point of risking being hurt. ‘Bound…’ was chosen to signify the concept of BDSM, fetish and kink. There are going to be certain stages in life where one has to surrender or submit to one’s alter egos and experience pain in order to receive pleasure.
What inspired the collection?
The collection was inspired by multiple facets of my life, and multiple questions that I have asked myself about my desires. What I have observed is that there are two categories of people—the ones who dominate, and those who find pleasure in submission. This behaviour is not just sexual. It shows in everyday acts too. Apart from that, the collection was a way to bring into conversation a certain resistance I have faced whenever I have wanted to talk freely about sexual well-being, sexual pleasure and sex education.
What does your research into the history of eroticism say about how India views sexual desires?
My research showed that India has a long history of exploring sexual desire. Our temples are replete with erotic sculptures. The Khajuraho example is well known. Even the Konark Temple has a high concentration of erotic sculptures, depicting all 64 types of ratikrida that are mentioned in Vatsayana’s Kama Sutra. Practices of bondage are clearly depicted on temple walls. Ancient India was an open society. It was colonisation that made India conservative in these respects.
You have been inspired by the Minotaur, a figure of Greek mythology. How does it tie up with a collection inspired by Indian eroticism?
The collection celebrates the Minotaur within all of us. Here, it is used as a metaphor for one’s alter ego; it symbolises the desire of taking charge and being alpha. The leather or the skin of the Minotaur, a bull, links up with the authentic leather skin used in the production of the garments.
Why did you choose leather and metal to create the various pieces of your collection?
My passion and love for pure leather and how it has an important role to play in the fetish and kink market was a huge reason for my selection. The leather subculture emerged primarily in the mid-20th century. It is characterised by a shared interest in leather clothing, fetish gear, and a unique set of customs and activities. It also encompasses elements of identity and fashion.
You have designed your collection using sustainable practices.
I used almost all the scraps that I got from leather to make complementary accessories for the ensembles. As these garments are made of leather, they are durable and repairable, which reduces the frequency of disposal. The garments were made with the goal of minimising waste generation. The primary objective was to reduce or eliminate the amount of material that ends up in landfills or are incinerated.