A new generation of designers that is giving new meaning to fashion

Homegrown Style
Fibin V Raj 33, Mohammed Imaad, 26

They made an edgy debut under the starlit August sky this year, showcasing their collection on Moroccan blue boats that rowed across the Adyar River. And as much as this made them seem like the most promising new designers on the block, Fibin V Raj has more surprises in store.

Raj came to Chennai from Kerala in 2002, to study at NIFT and found his first moments of inspiration in Auroville, Puducherry, where design heads from around the world united to work and learn at The Colours of Nature, a manufacturer of natural dyed textiles for garments. "I didn't want to work in an industry that mass manufactured garments. Rather, my mind was on learning the techniques involved in developing garments-from dying to embroidery-my projects were related to traditional Indian textiles," he says.

Raj met Imaad at the Pearl Academy of Fashion, while working as a guest lecturer. Imaad's styling and design sensibilities found prospect in his plans to start their own label and they started working on it over eight months ago. Tamil Nadu's cottons and the korvai weaving technique of its Kanjeevarams have found a fan in Raj, who tells us he aspires to see Chennai take more credit for its textile heritage. SIGNATURE ELEMENTS 3D structures, architectural features and patterns, transferred onto textured fabrics and jacquard weaves. Price Rs. 2,000 onward Contact 9884253918

The Trendsetters
Sandeep Ravi, 25, Ekta Nahar, 24

If there's, one thing a creative mind should be, it's restless. Sandeep Ravi left his visual merchandising job in 2012, after he could no longer cater to brands with their specific agendas and needs. He wanted to start a brand that did something new every day and never once glued on to a comfort zone.

And soon, he converted his house into a studio and began designing for friends and family. "We didn't want to market, do a show or invest too much into it. We worked with minimum resources, and till date, haven't believed in going out there, creating a bang and telling the world we exist. Our work creates the buzz we need and that's how we get clients," says Ravi. Word however got moving around faster after they opened their studio, Studio 9696 in May 2012, and got their big break with Yash Raj Films' Aaha Kalyanam-their first styling project, a few months later.

That's where Ravi met his now business partner Ekta Nahar and they decided to take the brand forward. "The Yash Raj project was a huge deal for us, because we learnt abundantly from it. We had to dress up nearly 200-300 people every day, and sometimes, in continuity, wherein they would shoot the same song for three days. This meant we had to dress up the same people in the same way for three days," says Nahar. The project opened up unexplored avenues for Ravi and Nahar in styling for Kollywood, and for ad shoots.

Signature elements Quirk factor with different cut lines, textures and surface techniques. Denim blouses that can double up as crop tops with a skirt. Cost Rs 4,000 onward Contact: 8939275990

Keeping it Real
Sidney Sladen, 27

There are many way s a designer celebrates his ten-year stint in a largely selfsustained fashion industry. Sidney Sladen did it by pouring his heart out into what he calls his biggest show so far, 'Breakaway 2015'. What adds an edge to it is that the show came after "a two-and-a-half year lull of loss and split relationships. As a boy Sladen remembers being sent out of the class for drawing designs at the back of his school books.

He kept the fire burning till he started working with Sunil Menon years later. In the recent years, Sladen has moved out of his familiar ground of western silhouettes and made a foray into Indian wear, which he says today sells about 15 percent more than the former. "People initially believed we only did western wear and only dressed skinny people. But fashion is about how many of your designs transform into wearable clothes, and if you look at our models, they have to be a 35 bust as a rule; they're rarely a 33 or below," says Sladen.

"If my generation grew up admiring sensual women such as Rekha and Sridevi, the next generation looks for it in Kim Kardashian," he adds. Sladen is among those who has little to take away from an extravagantly funded fashion week. In fashion weeks, no one is looking at the buyer. ""In fashion weeks, no one is looking at the buyer. If three to four talented designers can put their egos aside and bring out their best collection on a single platform, it can bring together photographers, fashion editors and bloggers from all over the world," he says. Signature elements Vibrant colours, florals, thread work with anchor, zari patterns and fabrics lined with cotton Price Rs 7,000 onward Contact 9962869419

On the Rise
Sruthi Kannath, 27

For as long as she can remember, Sruthi Kannath has had a ball making people look stunning. "As a girl I always seemed to have a tip up my sleeve for a quirky accessory or hairdo for my friends. I'm glad I stuck to this fancy because years later it landed me the opportunity to style people for their most important days," she laughs.

However, her fashion journey mainstreamed after a NIFT degree, when she decided the best way to make a foray into a highly contending scene like fashion, was to first build a solid base. "My constant exposure to fashion shows and events in the city inspired me to add fodder to my own designing dreams and I started with designing children's wear and unique blouses for women for their wedding sarees," says Kannath. Four years later, she launched her label Couture K in March 2014 and opened her studio at the same time. Kannath belongs to a generation that has (as seasoned designers would say) had it easy, all thanks to social media, but hard at the same time because of the cutthroat competition.

"The saleability of your garment is sacrosanct, and this holds true even for designs that I may create for a fashion week later in my career. In fact, in an event like that, I would keep aside the bright Kanjeevarams that are typically used to represent the state, and instead bring back some old, native south Indian colours such as ruby red, sapphire blue and emerald green, which are hardly seen today," she says. Kannath is now primarily into bridal wear and styling for the Tamil film industry.

She enjoys a famed clientele in cinema as a personal stylist for actor Jeeva and a consultant for many others. Kannath's specialty in bridal wear lies in the quirk she lends to it with the use of unconventional fabrics and materials. Signature elements Out-of-the-box elements such as shells, feathers and mirror work in bridal wear and mix-n-match fabrics. Price Rs 2,000 onward Contact studiocouturek@gmail.com

Fun with Fashion
Vivek Karunakaran, 35

"Being from the south, over-the-top style isn't our thing," Vivek Karunakaran says aloud on what makes his home city and its customer base exclusive. "Chennai draws a parallel to the aesthetic we follow-minimal, but with great attention to detail that makes every line special," he says.

Karunakaran, who earlier retailed under his eponymous brand 'VivekKarunakaran', joined hands with wife Shreya in 2006, to re-launch but with a new label-'Viia', now again re-branded 'Vivek Karunakaran'. Over the years, the duo has designed for celebrities such as Sonam Kapoor, Amy Jackson, AR Rahman, Anil Kapoor and Leander Paes.

His design influence lies in creating simple, minimalistic clothes, with an edge that could be lent through the textiles used or the textures created. With an aesthetic that's firmly rooted in this idea, Karunakaran has coined the terms 'gorgeous and edgy' for his women's wear and 'classic and edgy' for his menswear lines respectively. In addition to being home to his flagship store-set up in 2013-Chennai is close to the designer's heart for being the foundation for his aspirations. Karunakaran tells us he has a vision to see the fashion scene here grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.

"Chennai as city and its people need to evolve in their thinking of what we are capable of. While there's a lack of confidence in what we do, at times there's also a lack of wanting to do better," he says. Vivek Karunakaran is now planning its foray into Indian wear, which as he promises, "will also be full of surprises" Signature elements Clothes that can be worn regardless of the year; classics that are fun and edgy. Price Rs 4000 onward Contact 9003295442