Not so long ago, indian influences merely whispered on Western catwalks. Now, they are beginning to speak loud and clear. Jagruti Jamnadas speaks to two New York-based Indian designers and a Manhattan boutique owner who are all set to redraw fashion boundaries
European and American designers have long ruled the fashion industry.
But South Asian designers are now a force you cannot wish away. They are all set to weave their designer threads into the rich, constantly-changing tapestry of international fashion.
Indeed, a number of today's West-based Indian designers are proving just how advantageous it is to have an Eastern background while operating in a Western environment. It helps them fuse culture with trends.
One name that is increasingly being heard on, as well as off, the New York catwalk is Swati Argade. A designer who has her roots in India, Argade was born and brought up in Michigan but moved to New York after graduation.
A classical dancer, Argade stumbled on to the fashion scene by accident three years ago. Argade used to design costumes for her dance performances to "express myself through the language [of] Bharata Natyam (a South India dance form)''.
Her talent was spotted by others in the field and soon, she began working for other dance, film and theatre productions. It did not take long for her to realise that there was more to her newfound passion - she was ready to take her dance-designs into the world of ready-to-wear.
Pretty, with waist-length silky hair, Argade, who is in her early thirties, draws inspiration for her fashions from traditional Indian motifs and history.
"My clothes may have Indian influences but the silhouettes are ... contemporary, designed exclusively for a Western lifestyle," she says. "I make fall jackets and formal linen trousers, which might not necessarily be appropriate in Delhi or Mumbai.''
She says her vision is quite different to that of reputed couture names in Mumbai and Delhi. Argade spent many summer breaks in Chennai learning Bharata Natyam. It was also during this time that she experienced the intricacies of Indian dressing - the fabrics, the styles and the accessories.
Argade, who sells to more than a dozen stores in Soho, Brooklyn and Greenwich Village today, puts together all her collections in Pune, India, from where she also sources her fabrics.
"I am interested in sourcing different materials and giving them a new form ... aligned to Western silhouettes," she says.
Her vision is apparent in her Belle Khadi collection, which incorporates hand-woven South Indian fabrics in strong silhouettes. Similarly, the Bengali Girl collection has a sunny palette of spring colours in hand-woven Bengali silks with ebony buttons while keeping the silhouettes modern.
"It is something you can slip on and hop into a yellow cab or ride the subway in,'' she explains.
Her Fall 2006 collection had a lot of dark colours in linen and metallic threads with imprints of the New York skyline on it. She is currently working on her Spring-Summer 2007 collection for which she uses photographs of South Indian women in traditional outfits during the colonial Victorian era.
"I am trying to giveit a new spin using different kinds of embroidery, motifs and fabrics,"
she says.
Argade describes her style as a "gentle kiss between tradition and the future - an expression of now".
Argade can be philosophical and arty, but she is at the same time very business-minded. She designs for her core customer - the average American. Her next stop? Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
The daughter of Maharashtrian parents, she loves to wear sarees and salwar kameezes whenever she gets the chance and even designs these costumes for her clients.
So, who are her favourite Indian designers? "Anamika Khanna and Sabyasachi Mukherjee do very interesting things with fabrics and create boho aesthetics," Argade replies. Her list of favourite Western designers includes Alberto Ferretti, Hussein Chalayan, Junya Watanabe and Prada.
Argade has designed for Hollywood's Susan Sarandon as well as Bollywood's Nandita Das. But what she enjoys a lot is designing for the average New Yorker because they are some of the most eclectic dressers in the world.
"I think we are lucky in America because we have access to so many cultures, particularly if you are living in New York. We get a feel for many different aesthetics," she says.
Romain Kapadia: new kid on the block
Another designer who is making waves on the international fashion scene is 30-year-old Texas-born Romain Kapadia, son of a Gujarati father and a Bengali mother, both immigrants to the US.
His affinity with clothes began when he worked with Neiman Marcus, Givenchy and Enyce in the retail and production sectors. While working there, he realised there was a designer inside him waiting to emerge. Although it was tough convincing his parents that he wanted to branch out on his own, he persevered and launched his own signature collection of luxury men's sportswear.
Soon, this boyish-looking designer was scooping up the accolades such as Gen Art Styles Finalist 2003-2005, Fashion Group International's Rising Star 2003-2005 and Gen Art Fresh Faces Miami 2005.
Realising that to make it big in the US, you had to be in New York, he moved to the city a few years ago from Texas. Today he runs a design studio in NY and his clothes are manufactured in several states of the US and in Hong Kong.
Kapadia's style is very urban.
He loves using zippers and that is one of his signature styles. "I believe in looking to the future," he says. Strong lines, modern silhouettes and aggressive detailing are key components to the Kapadia collection.
He also believes in experimenting with the interpretations of unique.
"I made a bomber jacket last season with a removable vest and top,'' he says, adding that this way, the jacket could be worn without the vest and top.
Kapadia's inspiration comes from modern art, inside or outside of museums, or even from furniture stores, where he spends many hours just looking. It's no surprise that his designs are linear and geometric.
Kapadia feels his collection has a European look, as it is sharper and more tailored than American designs. "I think the US fashion scene is always going to be a few years behind Europe. But I am glad my collection is working well here [in America]," he says.
Kapadia supplies his label to 30 stores in the US, including Atrium and Lounge at Soho in New York. Internationally, Kapadia's collection is available at Villa Moda in Kuwait and will soon be available in Europe, Japan and India. He hopes to create a global lifestyle brand for men and women.
In the long run, he aims to launch a store in New York but like any upcoming designer, he says that his dream is to see his collection on the racks of Saks Fifth Avenue.
Indomix: Eastern and Western fusion
Meanwhile, Karima and Salima Popatia, two talented Indian-American sisters, have jumped on to the bandwagon of India-inspired fashion. Their trendy speciality boutique, Indomix, in the Nolita neighbourhood of Manhattan, east of Soho, provides a platform for Indian designers.
Karima, a New York University business school graduate, has ample experience as a buyer for big stores such as Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor and DKNY. But in the process of buying, she unhappily realised that most designs from India were being sold in the US with very little credit being given to the original designers.
Whenever she visited India, she was amazed by the staggering variety in fashion design. Why weren't the designers not making waves in New York? She was certain there was
a market for them. So a year ago, she decided to launch Indomix. She quit her full-time job six months ago and put all her time and effort into making Indomix work.
"The motive for my store is to get brand recognition for Indian designers on a global level, as I feel that they have just as much [as Western designers] to offer if not more," Karima says.
Karima and Salima speak Hindi fluently and love Hindi movies. On the brick wall of their store are black-and-white wedding pictures of their parents. A chandelier hangs from a metal ceiling, vintage mirrors reflect interiors of a blue wall with bronzework. The store looks like a Bollywood movie set.
Having spent half a decade in the retail business, Karima has often seen European designers turn to India for zardozi work and other kinds of embellishment. She says there are some very well-known designers who have fabrics handmade in India.
"So if you find Indian details and fabrics cool," she argues, "you should also find it cool to be able to wear [the works of] Indian designers."
Whether you fancy a Baga Beach tunic by Payal Singhal or Argade's Safari Rani Jacket, JJ Valaya's antique metallic embroidered blazer or a Kolhapuri wedge by Malini Ramani, it's all at Indomix. The boutique also features dresses, kaftan pants, shirts, skirts, tops and accessories designed by various Indian names.
As the name of her store suggests, the idea is to fuse influences from the East and the West. "You can walk into the store with your Seven Jeans, a Gucci bag and Aldo shoes and simply add a Singhal tunic to complete the look. The key is to mix and match," she says.
Names such as Abraham & Thakore's, Kavita Bhartia, Rathore, Rehane and Anamika Khanna - who are already well-known in India - are being adored by Americans and other Westerners, thanks to Indomix.
"People buy our pieces because they love them and think it's cool. They have no idea who a JJ Valaya is, even though he may be the king of bridal couture in India. So our challenge is to educate our customers what it means to own a Ramani or a Rathore," says Karima.
She considers them competition to high-end boutiques such as Neiman Marcus or Barney's or speciality stores such as Scoop and Calypso, which sell Indian-influenced designs.
"Seventy per cent of my customers are Americans while the rest are American Indians and tourists. And the Indians who shop at Indomix are not the kind who go to India each year or each month to stock up for their wardrobe."
Most of the designs at Indomix are not available in India. Located in an exclusive neighbourhood on Mulberry Street, prices begin at $75 (about Dh276) and shoot up to a $695 (about Dh2,556) for a JJ Valaya jacket or $900 (about Dh3,310) for an Anamika Khanna dress. It's high-end, but Karima says this is justified by the exclusivity factor.
"Kurtis and tunics are hip and everybody has been wearing them for the last couple of years. But if you buy something at Barney's or Bloomingdale's, chances are everybody's going to be wearing the same. Our collection is unique as we only buy 46 pieces of each design, so you definitely stand out in the crowd."
She launched another boutique, Indomix Bride, early this year in collaboration with her favourite designer, Payal Singhal. Located on 22nd Street, this bridal store targets the Indian community.
"There's always somebody getting married and we Indians love to shop for occasions. So if you don't mind spending $10,000 (about Dh36,800) on a saree or a lehenga (a bridal ensemble of a long skirt and blouse), this is the store to be at."
The success of Indomix is but one sign that India has arrived on the global fashion map. No more Valentino or Christian Dior knock-offs; it's time to flaunt original Argades, Kapadias and Rathores.
