David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore have never been conventional. The masters of reinvention behind the label have spent over three decades reimagining traditional Indian staples on the runway, always with elements that leave audiences wanting more. Abraham & Thakore are currently showcasing Alternate Realities in Chennai, and once again, they have not failed to inspire with their innovation. Staying true to their signature approach—keeping Indian fashion authentic and relevant through finely crafted contemporary design rooted in tradition—the duo has created pieces that outlive seasonal trends.
In a world increasingly shaped by the digital, Alternate Realities returns to what is personal and tactile. It celebrates imperfections, irregularities, and the quiet character of the handmade.
The collection examines the desire to move beyond the ordinary, challenging conventional ideas of fashion and identity. It asks whether fashion must follow trends, or if it can instead offer space for quiet expression—for confidence without conformity.
With a modern Indian perspective and a global sensibility, the collection resists inherited frameworks. It invites us to look beyond the expected, and to draw from diverse sources of meaning and style.
It features freehand geometrics, dreamy florals, shadowy brushstrokes, and textures that create quiet drama through hand aari embroidery, sequins, appliqué, and block printing on luxurious silks, organzas, and georgettes. Like every Abraham & Thakore collection, this one elevates indigenous craft into contemporary luxury.
We speak to Rakesh Thakore, who interacted closely with clients during the Chennai showcase. He shares that the idea began with a simple reflection on how memory, craft, and imagination can come together to create something new. “The idea was presenting a collection that offered a slightly different way of dressing, both in sensibility and design, moving aside from the ordinary and the mundane,” he says.
So what “ordinary” aspects of fashion did they feel needed challenging right now? “Fashion often leans into repetition and familiar patterns that leave little room for individuality. We wanted to challenge this sense of predictability and return the focus to pieces that carry depth, restraint, and meaning. Clothes that carry a quiet confidence—slow fashion that is about longevity and timelessness,” he explains.
The collection questions whether fashion needs to follow trends. And they have navigated the tension between timelessness and trend cycles with clarity of purpose. Trends may be part of the larger conversation, but they do not guide their decisions. “We build clothes around ideas that endure, and around materials shaped with care. We have clients who still wear clothes that were designed over a decade ago,” says Rakesh.
Alternate Realities embraces confidence without conformity. “Non-conformist elegance is the freedom to dress with assurance without relying on excess or overt signals. It is a quiet kind of refinement rooted in craft, comfort, and a personal point of view,” he adds.
Though the collection features hand aari embroidery, sequins, appliqué, and block printing, its emotional anchor is the double ikat handwoven fabric. “This season, we experimented with using Tencel instead of cotton or silk to soften the hand feel and the drape, and it took many months of working with the weavers to train them to both dye and weave this new yarn. Engineering the ikat so it became a placement detail, or using a very large repeat, made it both a design and weaving challenge. It carries a rhythm that feels human and expressive. The complex weaving, the slight irregularities, and the time invested in developing this were extremely gratifying,” he recounts.
The collection leans heavily on silks, organza, and georgettes—chosen for their lightness, fluidity, and depth. “Silks, organza, and georgette allow textures and surface work to breathe and drape. They carry a sense of tradition yet adapt beautifully to contemporary expressions like occasion dressing,” he says.
The collection draws deeply from memory now reworked to feel relevant today. “The feel of hand-worked surfaces, the quiet rhythm of pattern making, and the everyday presence of Indian craft were all touchpoints,” he adds.
Prices start at Rs 4,500. Available online.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
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