JOIN USRalph Lauren once said, “Fashion is about something that comes from within you.” Designers Armaan Randhawa and Manish Gupta (popularly known as ‘Armaan Randhawa MG’) from the label ‘Ekam’ live that phrase with their skill to work out fine designs. The lines, forms, patterns and colours that they use unfold an unsaid story that the duo wants to narrate in every collection.
The two are showcasing their latest collection, ‘Art-power’, at the Lakme Fashion Week 2016 and it is all about women empowerment. “Fashion, according to me, is a form of art and a channel to showcase one’s creativity. This time, we have chosen an iconic figure from Mexico. Her name is Frida Kahlo. She was a great artist and her works depicted what she experienced in her life. That is why we felt she could be the perfect figure to represent women empowerment. The story behind this collection is that of a woman who is strong and bold to carry her own style,” says Manish.
Most of their outfits from the collection use Frida’s face as the motif while the use of tiger images in the garments represents the inner strength of a woman and the flowers depict the grace with which she carries herself. The latest collection of the duo has an array of sporty chic outfits which can be worn as party wear. “These garments are embellished with hand-cut appliqué work. There is no printing involved and they are developed with great integrity. We have created this look keeping in mind the youth and there is an extensive use of detailing,” adds Armaan.
The duo usually works with organic fabrics like ‘chanderi’ silk, cotton and mesh net. Their forte is the appliqué work they do on their garments, which is also their signature style. And it is not just a single layer of the work, there are multiple layers which give a three-dimensional and unique look to an outfit. Explaining the colour palette, Manish says, “We have predominantly used colours like geranium (a combination of navy blue, midnight blue and ivory) along with different hues and shades of three colours — beige, gold maroon, a combination of a darker shade of red and a lighter shade of blue.”
Being in the fashion industry for quite sometime now, Manish says that the competition is quite a lot and until and unless one’s creations have their own authentic signature touch, it is difficult to survive. “The consumers are well-informed today with help from the internet at hand. Everyone is always up-to-date with the latest trends, so fashion designers always need to be alert and updated about everything,” says Manish.
Another challenge that he points out is to develop a unique technique for a new collection so as to be different from others. In such situations, one’s originality and creativity is what helps in the end. So what are the designers expecting from this year’s Lakme Fashion Week? Armaan quickly pitches in, “This fashion show has always been very good to us as it has helped us grow as designers. It is a great platform and we are expecting to have many great moments this year as well.”