Anita Dongre debuts her couture line at this year’s India Couture Week, which starts on July 20. The line, which she began five years ago, will be shown in a presentation on July 21, the same day that Tarun Tahiliani makes his return to ICW after a six-year break.
“I started couture five years ago,” Dongre says in an interview with tabloid!. “I believe fashion should be affordable. Everybody deserves to own a label and our pret brands are doing just that. We are very excited to unveil the bridal couture collection in the capital at such a prestigious event on the fashion calendar.”
Dongre drew international attention in March this year when Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, chose one of her ready-to-wear dresses for a cricket match during her tour of India.
“Of course, it is a matter of immense pride that I am the only designer who dressed the Duchess on her maiden visit to India. It was a wonderful experience for me personally, and the label made headlines across the world. I know we have sold about a hundred pieces of the Gulrukh tunic dress after the Duchess of Cambridge wore it, and orders on that are still pouring in.”
“I am in charge of the design process; my production team takes over from there. I am always busy with creating the next line, which is the bridal couture line of 2016, Epic Love.”
She’ll exhibit 55 pieces from her Epic Love collection, “inspired by Mughal gardens and architecture” at ICW.
“Our muse, a young gypsy princess is free-spirited, yet embraces tradition in her own special way, much like young brides today who enjoy what they wear rather than being weighed down by it. Traditional silhouettes like the lehenga choli and sari are reinvented in contemporary and individualistic styling.”
Does she think the blurred lines between “couture” and “bridal” are becoming clearer? “I think in India, couture means bridal. Weddings are when people look towards buying couture labels.”
