Young and restless

He is 26, controversial and outrageously creative.  Three good reasons why he has made it to the top of the list on the Indian fashion scene. Aryeman Raj catches up with Rohit K Verma on the latter's recent visit to Dubai  

Rohit K. Verma loves to shock people - be it with his designs or with his statements. He confesses that he is "flamboyant and bold" (in his designs) and considers fashion designing "an art form". 

Almost everything he has lent his name to has managed to make headlines. Be it for his verse-laden kurtas or the fashion line that takes inspiration from the Khajuraho sculptures, Verma is always in the spotlight.

His fashion principle is simple: be trendy and fashionable. Stand out  in the crowd.

What sets him apart in India's fashion scene?
Fashion watchers point to Verma's genius of being able to focus on the details, his vast knowledge of fabrics and styles, and his skill in fusing traditional Indian designs with Western silhouettes seamlessly.

Barely 26, Verma, who says he draws inspiration from "Moghul art and sculpture, and nature", is easy-going, friendly and down-to-earth in person. He talks easily about his days of struggle. "I was a very aloof and suppressed child, and academically, an average student.? 

But that did not prevent him from stoking the fires of a burning ambition. Even as a teenager, he was keen to pursue a career in fashion designing but his father would have none of it. 

So Verma had only one option - "I ran away from home (in Allahabad, northern India) in 1996," he says. The going from then on was, of course, not easy.

"For two months after I left home, I used to sleep on one of the platforms of the VT railway station in Mumbai," he says.

From the railway platform to the high pedestal of haute couture, Verma's climb was rapid and pretty smooth. 

He attributes his success to three women - "My aunt Jyoti Gidwani  (from Dubai) who paid the fees for my fashion course at the JD Institute  of Fashion and Technology in Mumbai; my dear friend Milli, whom I met at the VT railway station (she would get me food and help me with money when  I was broke) and India's top fashion model Jesse Randhawa (who agreed  to walk the ramp for my first show and is today part of most of my shows)."

In a free and frank interview with Friday, Verma talks about why fashion designing means so much to him and criticism of it so little.   According to Oscar Wilde, "Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."

What's your opinion on fashion?
Fashion is definitely not ugly or intolerable. We all dress to look classy and feel upbeat. I agree that your personal fashion style should be comfortable, but it also has to be unique and different for you to be noticed. How else would you stand out in a crowd? 

Of course, we have to alter fashion every six months. Don't we do the same with our food habits (and we don't even wait for six months)? Imagine eating biryani 24/7? You would feel sick (of it). 

We need to experiment with (different kinds of food) to tickle  our taste buds. (In the same way), a person needs to explore, and experiment, with new fashion ideas. Fashion creates positive energy (depending on what you are wearing).

This positive energy helps enliven your mood, and makes you pleasing and acceptable to people around you. However, wearing loud, bright colours to work may give off excessive energy and put people off. 

Is designing clothes less dynamic than painting, sculpture or music?
All the above forms of art require a creative mind. I am not degrading any of the above arts; however, I think it is a myth that designing clothes does not need expertise.

As for fashion designing, there's a lot that can be done. There are so many fabrics, colours, shades and hues ... There are no restrictions or boundaries for a fashion designer. Designing is definitely dynamic and creativity in fashion is at an ultimate high compared to other creative fields.  

Of the six design elements - line, shape, form, texture, pattern and colour - which is the strongest? 
Colour is the strongest of the six elements of design. As a designer,  you can play with shapes and patterns as these are the trees which give you the fruit. The colour of a fabric is the seed, it gives life to the concepts you want to work on. 

The sea and the sky have innumerable shades of blue; the rainbow has some amazing mix-and-match shades ... all these inspire the designer in me to experiment with endless colour combinations. 

Your personality decides what colour will suit you. Well-chosen colours can make you look thinner or help you look fuller. All the other elements of design complement colour.  

What is it about Indian fashion that makes it so popular on the international scene?
India is the land of colour. We have myriad languages ... innumerable cultures and traditions. If you want to experience variety in colour, richness and style, India has it all for you. Every Indian tradition has its exclusivity.

For example, a 30-yard sari could be, for some people, just a long piece of cloth. 

But there are 80 to 90 different styles in which this sari can be draped.  Of late, the Bengali style of wearing saris (which have vivid borders and kaleidoscopic embroidery all over) has become a show-stopper at weddings. Today, every Western woman wants to have a sari in her wardrobe.

In the international market, (Indian styles) are the No. 1 saleable garments. Western fashion followers rave over our unusual colour tones and intricate embroidery. Today, zardozi (a form of embroidery) is being copied on all Western outfits, including coats.

Our fashion trends such as the Rajasthani backless choli (an upper body garment used by women in Rajasthan that helps their body remain cool in the hot and humid desert conditions) is a hit on the international party scene. We should be proud that our culture and tradition are being emulated by others.  

As the youngest Indian fashion designer, have you managed to keep the country's cultural heritage intact? How much are you influenced by Western fashion trends and did you have to make compromises along the way? 
There is nothing wrong in picking up an influence from the West if it adds to your final burst of creativity. Though Indians have picked up many traits from the West, the country still has its cultural heritage intact. 

As a designer, my work has always reflected this. Like India, which has historically played host to many different cultures on its land, I have also drawn inspiration from some Western trends.

I wouldn't call them compromises. If the final product is good, it's not a compromise. It's an asset.  All creative people seek inspiration from somewhere but in the end,  they give it their personal touch.  

Elegance does not mean being noticed, it means being remembered. How come most fashion on ramp shows is not wearable?
This question is constantly hurled at us. Designers create outfits, so any person with a sewing machine cannot copy the design easily. Ramp shows normally are theme-based and the garment line is created revolving around the theme.

I agree that some of the designs aren't wearable but sheer grandeur and opulence is the true essence for ramp shows. Sadly, people who come to watch fashion shows are unaware of why they are watching the show. They don't even know the basics of fashion.

Recently, I quizzed some people (who had come to attend a fashion show)  on whether they liked what Jesse Randhawa was wearing (it was a design with a Mehrab neckline and one of Verma's exclusive creations). They had no clue. 

All I got was, 'Oh, she is looking gorgeous', without a word on what went into the detailing.  

Draw the fine line between creativity and outlandishness. This is tricky. Creativity and outlandishness depend on an individual's outlook and relative perception. I cannot draw a defining line since one man's job is another man's hobby. 

Fashion designing needs a generous dose of both. When compared to other designers, my boldness can be on a higher platform than others.
 
Your viewpoint on fashion trends in Dubai. 

In Dubai, you can play with a lot of style. People here are more experimental and fashion-conscious. Being a cosmopolitan society, Dubai is very captivating, with so many choices available. 

If people like a particular ensemble, they buy it no matter what its price. You seem to be constantly toying with outrageous fashion ideas. 

Are there practical pay-offs to such endeavours? 
Yes, I love playing around with fashion ideas. The crazier and whackier the idea, the more flamboyant the creation. This is my style of work. I am one of those (fashion designers) who has been dogged by constant controversies regarding my designs.

I have turned a sober pair of jeans into a funky fashion statement by using electric wire as embellishment. 

I started using huge Swarovski crystals literally falling out of the flowery embroidery (rather than have them stapled to the sari). 

I think out of the box. 

Is there a special formula to succeed in fashion designing? What makes you confident about your success?
While most successful people would respond by saying 'Work hard and reach your goal', I beg to be different. My belief is my confidence. I have never cared for  the world, I have lived for myself. While most designers will not repeat certain colours, I shoutfrom the rooftops that red is my favourite. 

It's shocking, it stands out in a crowd, it's stamped on to people's memories. My collection and I tower over anybody's expectations. I believe in achieving the unattainable. If I am known as India's youngest fashion designer today, it is a mark of my determination to be different. 

Hard-selling your grand designs must be difficult.

Before I create, I always look at the client's profile, his/her requirements and the guts required to carry off the outfit. Most fashion-conscious people never repeat an outfit once it has been noticed, or commented on, by others at a party.

My advice to them is, 'Live for yourself'. Wear it (again and again) if it makes you feel good. Live your life (and dress) the way you want to, rather than give importance to what others say.  

You seem to have broken some fashion rules and shocked your clan with your designs. Any regrets so far?
Yes, there were some shock waves ... I was the first one to have Sanskrit (verses) on garments. The backlash did not lead to regret neither did I rejoice. (A certain section of the Indian society) did raise objections and I was behind bars for three hours. (But) it is nice to know that it was a popular style, and I was the man who launched it.

Any unfulfilled ambitions?
I am the youngest designer in India and like most others, I feel I have not reached my goal yet. There are many more rungs to climb on the ladder of success ...