The third day of India Couture Week saw designer Rahul Mishra’s collection inspired by his trip to Monaco and his childhood memories from the village of Malhausi in Uttar Pradesh. He recreated the streets of Monaco, its facades surrounded by foliage on the ramp that also mirrored in his designs. Mishra, having studied the works of Claude Monet, was also inspired by the beautiful landscapes he painted.
“I was deeply inspired by his work. For me, he was almost like a star and people, like us, reflect that light,” says the designer, who used fabrics like silk organza, silk crepe and muga silk to weave a dense play of floral motifs with an occasional swan blended with architectural elements in two and three dimensions created by using dainty crystals and silken thread.
The collection also saw Indian silhouettes with a mix of aari, zardozi and murri stitches. Interestingly, he has used the same motifs and silhouettes for both men and women collection. “Similar kind of motifs goes for both the genders. I’m now experimenting with the silhouettes. I find it quite stereotype that a particular kind of silhouette is for men and another for women,” he shared.
The collection showcased a wide range of lehengas, anarkalis with jackets, sarees with dupattas and gowns, and kurta-churidaar with intricate hand embroidered Nehru jackets. Some of the pieces have also carried forward from his autumn/ winter 2019 couture collection at Paris Fashion Week but with Indian influences. “It was a new journey for me to showcase a short western dress, that I showcased at Paris, into something which fits the Indian couture idea say a ‘gherdaar’ lehenga. I have been working on the collection since November, ” Mishra said.