Day 2: India Couture Week 2020

169
couture

What a second-day experience it was at the first digital India Couture Week (ICW) on September 19. In a breathtaking digital experience, Amit Aggarwal harnesses the power of the ocean, sky, and earth, in showcasing his new Couture 2020 collection. While on the other hand, Rahul Mishra showcased an organic extension of his Paris Haute Couture collection, ‘Butterfly People’.

Amit Aggarwal unveils amitaggarwal.com

couture
Collection By Amit Aggarwal @ FDCI ICW 2020

Amit Aggarwal is a confessed traditionalist. Couture for him lived within the tactile experience of touch and feel. 2020, however, demanded a change, and Amit turned to his eternal source of inspiration- nature to lead the way. As we experience the world through the safety of our homes, the oceans continue to churn, the wind continues to blow and the sky still holds her secrets and celebration from sunrise to twilight. Their freedom and lightness is a promise of new beginnings every moment. This collection depicts the weightlessness of the ocean, the caress of the wind, and the cradle of the earth as they nurture you in their promise. The collection displays Amit Aggarwal’s signature aesthetic of futuristic biomimicry encouraging you to embrace the present and see beyond through the portals of time manifested in reimagined industrial material and signature polymers. 

Collection By Amit Aggarwal @ FDCI ICW 2020

“Couture for me is a feeling of wearing an outfit that is made especially for you, embodying your spirit and aesthetic. We always tread a balance of the surreal and functionality of the garment and it’s exciting to translate that vision into a digital experience. At the heart of it is our constant brand story of intricate craftsmanship and hand embroidery”, says the designer. 

The digital store will feature Amit Aggarwal’s signature textiles, couture and workmanship. From sarees and lehengas to dresses and separates, the offering also includes his luxury pret line with the promise of seasonal capsule collections. The website and its many collections are a proud call from the future of Indian craftsmanship. 

Rahul Mishra Festive Couture – ‘Lotus Pond’

“Earth may be alive: not as the ancients saw her-a sentient Goddess with a purpose and foresight-but alive like a tree. A tree that quietly exists, never moving except to sway in the wind, yet endlessly conversing with the sunlight and the soil. Using sunlight and water and nutrient minerals to grow and change. But all done so imperceptibly, that to me the old oak tree on the green is the same as it was when I was a child.”

 —James Lovelock

These words by James Lovelock become richer with meaning as we find ourselves in the middle of the pandemic. The conversation between the tree and its surroundings found greater intimacy in the past months, as human intervention reduced. The virginal lotus ponds with life sprouting in diverse forms, the psychedelia of the underwater-scape, replete with striking hues and textures, and the symphony of birds and butterflies inspire the craft behind “Lotus Pond”.

This couture collection is one of the most significant collections for Mishra, an organic extension of his Paris Haute Couture collection, ‘Butterfly People’. A significant part of his New Delhi team is the “kaarigars” (hand embroiderers and tailors). They have been fortunate to be able to stand by them through this storm and are committed to continuing doing so. It’s the very foundation of their brand values. They are a large family – that includes hundreds of people including local craftsmen and workers. They collectively acknowledge the value of beauty. It gave them a deep sense of joy and nourishment to return to our studio. Through this collection as a creative expression, we are served a reminder of the quote by Hans Christian Anderson, that indeed “Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”

Collection By Rahul Mishra @ FDCI ICW 2020

The clothes (couture or no) symbolise hope and optimism for a better future. The Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity exhausts the nature’s budget for the given year. This year it arrived on August 22, twenty-one days later than the previous year. They are also hopeful to keep growing sustainably and empowering our communities.

“Lotus Pond” is an ode to the evolving ecosystem of aquatic plants, fishes, planktons, dragonflies and butterflies – all brought together by the sublime lotus.

 

To look & book wedding venues, vendors services, please log on to wedvendors.com

ALSO READ: Day 1: India Couture Week 2020