Page 61 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

column fashion

Balancing traditional ethos unreal sizes. Rishabh is apparently

studying bespoke pattern-cutting
and modern needs in NYC from master tailor Rory Duffy
of Henry Poole & Co. As part of
his studies with the Saville Row
Academy, his tutorials include
Being vegetarian, a yoga practitioner and fluent in Sanskrit are not learning to measure the male
Culturati qualities that one would link with a fashion designer based in the body, draft patterns for jackets,
trousers and waistcoats alongside
West. Rishabh Manocha is like a breath of fresh air in the industry making adjustments for heavier
ArshiyA sethi blogger named Sindhu for the many six yarders hanging in my figures. “Since I specialize in the
making of bespoke garments, let
Keshavamurthy said that cupboard.
fabric selection, pattern-cutting
fashion magazine Vogue
According to Rishabh, the percep-
Dr. Arshiya Sethi writes A tion of fashion has certainly changed me clarify that ideally right from
India is not yet in vogue.
to tailoring, everything is done for
on cultural issues. That is because despite immensely in India. What till about one size, at once. There are no two
After a rich career of its potential, Indian two decades ago used to be mere talk at sizes up, no two sizes down. It is
working on tangible fashion accounts for a meagre 0.2 per luncheons, has morphed into serious just perfect regardless of the na-
and intangible aspects cent in the world market, a situation transnational economic opportuni- ture of your body. That is reflective
of the ecosphere of the belied by its high media visibility. That is ties. Today, we see successful design
arts, she runs the Kri why my conversation with young New collaborations between Indians and
Foundation that York-based fashion designer Rishabh international labels. “These collabora-
promotes arts, Manocha was very interesting and tions are not just beauty driven, they talk Gandhi was indeed
activism in the social worth writing about. of ethics, of labour laws, of feminism, of a dandy who used
and development Rishabh informed me that he was a whole pandora of things that are far
sector, especially via a bright student right through, which from frivolous,” he said. the consistency,
‘artivism’, and the made me question him aloud about Frivolous is a word that is often
generation of knowl- how, in the STEM driven obsession of thrown at the fashion industry, especial- sobriety and
edge on intersecting Indian parents, did he get to pursue ly in a country like India where poverty power of his
issues. fashion as a career? His parents, he told is endemic and fashion often perceived clothing, or lack
me, did not need much convincing, as non-essential and an indulgence, I
an answer that I responded to with a of it, to make a
questioning look. “To be entirely honest, ask him, and he has an answer ready very clean, very ‘western’ for lack very powerful
there were moments of skepticism The desiGner’s ideas on for me. “One thing often ignored and of a better word. And I like to define
about the nature of my area of study, The FollowinG: yet so apparent is fashion’s ability and complement those lines with statement
but certainly not about my place in it. It to reflect the condition of our times. ‘eastern’ elements of surface treat-
came rather intuitively to me, and my Both poverty and prosperity are ment. It is, like life, a constant work
parents recognized that early on,” he • Up cycling: Very important. But, let’s reflected in clothing inadvertently,” in progress towards harmony.” He of the virtuosity of a tailor, and the
Fashion has the hastened to explain. not sell more in the name of upcycling he argues and then challenges the thinks a while and then refers to skill-set of a designer. My designs are
His initial introduction to fashion
ability to reflect came from his parents’ friends, “espe- products. Upcycling is meant to reduce charge of elitism. “Today, we see normative aspects of his work. “The rather wearable for any body type as
many high fashion brands get their
they are created as a portrait of my
ethics of production is one of the
consumption, not introduce a new means
the condition cially in the drape of their sarees. The of consumption. inspiration from sub-cultures that most pressing issues of our times, clients, almost like a second skin”.
of our times. most vivid memories are of those who • Minimalist v/s Maximalist debate: were once under the radar, almost and a deep concern for me. Look at Referring to him talk about his
the craftsmen in Kashmir, or the em- tutorials at the Saville Row Acad-
Context is rather important. I do not
wore their saree most fastidiously, most
pejorative to acknowledge. Today,
For instance, gracefully. The understated romance of identify with any hard bound schools of they feed the increasingly demo- broidery masters in Madras, poorly emy led me to question him about
the Kantha what Joanne Entwistle calls fashion, a thought. As long as the narrative makes cratic landscape of society,” he says, compensated but greatly revered. his days as a student at the Parsons
That is one of fashion’s greatest para- School of Design in New York, and
going on to explain the power of the
situated bodily practice, really manifests
sense, everything has a place.
embroidery of itself at multiple levels in the making, • Roots in tradition: It is crucial to have a Kantha embroidery of Bengal as an doxes. The value is in the product, at the Central Saint Martins College
sense of belonging even though one may
not in the people who make it. But, I
of Art and Design in London. The
art of the poor that is now finding
wearing and flaunting of a saree,” he
Bengal as an art explained. His statement made me not identify with it. Tradition, as one of pride of place in high fashion. am confident that millennials such question evidently evoked great
of the poor is now think of how quotidian the saree is in my acquaintances once said to me, I use eager answer from him. “The op- as me with their conscious consum- memories. “Ah! Fun days, they were.
What defines his work, gets and
The initial euphoria of being in art
in a whimsical manner, creatively not
erism habits have an answer to that”.
India’s life and how we often dismiss it
finding place in as non-glamorous. And here was this to bind things together, but rather to position of extremes plays a rather My next question to Rishabh school in tandem with a new-found
high fashion young man looking at its drapes as liberate them. I think that was the best important role in my life and work. was about the wearability of haute creative voice were very empower-
haute couture! I had new-found respect
I try to keep my silhouette lines
compliment I received.
couture, especially because of its
ing aspects of my life. I would always
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