Q. When did you decide to become a fashion designer?
A. When I was in school, I was very fond of wearing really good clothes, and I used to experiment a lot. In school, I was a sportsperson so whenever I used to travel for sports tournaments during my free time I used to design clothes for my sports team and did so later as well for my college team. So, then I started designing sportswear also. But it took so long to reach here because I was continuing in sports, and I never took it seriously. After an age, I realised I didn’t want to do a job and then I got back to my designing. I started freelancing for stores — both international and domestic. Then, gradually, I set up my own factory and started supplying to stores.
Q. What is your USP?
A. My USP is all about cut, stitch and styling. I am known for my fits, the way I cut my garments and give fitting, it turns into a beautiful garment.
Q. You showed your recent TREG collection at the Amazon Fashion Week 2017. So how can fashion be infused with technology?
A. TREG means beautiful. I take the raw fabric and develop the fabric: I colour the fabric. Then I get my fabric textured via high-tech techniques that are available and after that we put patterns on the garment. And then we give our garment for embellishment. So, my garment goes through a lot of stages- from fabric development to finishing the garment to stitching. I use a lot of zippers, accessories and detailing on my garment.
My collection was black-and-white but I have given them the tone of both the colours. I didn’t want too much of black or to make it too dull. We also use techniques to develop my fabric through texturing. We do embroidery then, and then the final tailoring is done. Last comes the styling: I style the peice with drapes, high low kurtas and layering. It takes a lot of time, money and energy to develop such fabrics.
Q. You are into menswear design. Please tell us how innovative and fashionable men’s wear can be?
A. Now menswear has asymmetrical, unbalanced, beautiful colours, prints and layering. My men’s collection is very simple and stylish. Just with a bit of styling and a bit of cut; it changes the entire look. The collection also has two things — one is for the international market and the other is for domestic market.
Q. Do you think there is hardly any space for men when it comes to experimenting with office wear?
A. Office wear can’t be very experimental. Men can only wear crisp shirts, nicely tailored, well-fitted jackets and pants with the right colour combination of tie and a pocket square and matching shoes. One should only know how to coordinate everything because that is very important. Now men are trying new things and experiment ing with their looks.
Q. You have so many different labels under your name. Do you ever experience a patch or a phase of complete lack of productivity?
A. Yes, it does happen. When I sit for my designing, I sit quietly and collect some ideas. I have learnt from my mistakes and experience. There is always something common in every collection but yes, fashion always comes back and all you have to do is make slight changes. If you are aware of the colours which are trending then you can do a lot and create something new.
Q. Any collection of yours you wish you hadn’t launched?
A. Once I made a collection of printed garments and that collection, I think was very wrong. I was also not going to showcase that collection but somehow I showcased it. It went really wrong. Sometimes a design that I think of might not come out well and then it becomes bad and shabby. But we improved that thing and that’s how we learn also.
Q. What are the new designs you are working on?
A. Currently for the summer season, we are working on buttons, fabrics and linen. Usually we get business from wedding clients, so I am working on basic suits, Indian wear, jackets. People want to look stylish yet they want to feel comfortable. I love to stick with pastel and neutral colours for summers. Too much of bright colours for men is a big no.
Q. Do you ever get confused with your collection?
A. Sometimes, while you are making the collection, you think that something is missing. So usually I take suggestions from my team who are working on the collection because they know about the fashion. Sometimes we take help from the stylist. And sometimes, stylists want to impose their ideas but they are also very helpful.
Q. How do you see fashion evolving 10 years down the line?
A. The fashion industry is growing very quickly and we see lots of students passing everyday and joining the industry. We see lots of stores opening every day. Fashion is going to the next level now. Now there are a lot of options for men also.
Q. What is your fashion statement?
A. My fashion statement depends on the place I am going to, the people I am meeting, and so I dress up accordingly. My fashion statement is very basic but also very stylish and a head-turner.