‘Bombay Velvet’ designers: Authenticity was key

For designer duo Shivan & Narresh, who designed for actress Anushka Sharma’s character in one of the sequences in Bombay Velvet, authenticity was the key to designing the 1950s-inspired looks.

Directed by Anurag Kashyap and featuring a star-studded cast including Ranbir Kapoor and Karan Johar, the movie features vintage swimwear and bodysuits that capture the essence of the 1950s and 1960s jazz era in the city.

“Authenticity towards the essence of the era with respect to fabrics and techniques was key to designing the vintage costumes for Bombay Velvet. Making swimsuits out of woven fabrics and lending elasticity through various techniques of ruching and smocking, much like in that decade, was followed to retain the authenticity,” Shivan Bhatiya said.

“Stylistically, the project needed high-waisted bralette bikinis in vintage fruit, foliage and monochrome prints, similar to the ones worn by Parsi women back in 1960s Bombay,” added Narresh Kukreja.

Some of the scenes of the film bring into focus elaborate corsets that were created with precision to create illusions of bold skin show. The project took two months to achieve the required looks, where different designs were developed and crafted.

Bombay Velvet is currently out in UAE cinemas.