The story behind Gulaal’s inception has been an intensely personal one for couturier Aakansha Agrawal. With work taking her across the globe, she was quick to realise that it was difficult to find clothes that are eye-catching, trendy and made with sustainable, organic fabrics. “I realised that there was a huge gap. People love high street fashion but loath synthetic fabrics. This gave me the impetus to start Gulaal,” recalls Aakansha, who hails from a family of jewellers.
Her label Gulaal, synonymous with the festival of Holi, is fuelled by her undying love for colours and quality. “We create delightful clothing, which is modern, comfortable, striking and yet rooted firmly in the use of quality fabrics. The feel of the clothing takes precedence over its looks and cotton is our basic choice of fabric,” adds the young Jaipur-based designer. For the upcoming festive/ wedding season the brand is working on a colourful tie-and-dye collection. We had a chat with Aakansha of the trends to watch out for. Excerpts:
What is the new-age (post-pandemic) need for the fashion-conscious?
Comfort is going to be very important now. Social distancing and the use of masks have reinvented fashion completely. We are champions of deep pockets in our clothing, and the need for the same is more prominent now than ever.
What will be the mood board like this season?
We as a country and community are festival driven, where celebrations never stop, pandemic or no-pandemic. Keeping this in mind our mood board is focused on blending comfort with style. This will be a fun collection of light festive clothing, in stylish silhouettes and solid colours. There will be a lot of hand embroidery in our Indo-Western outfits. A-line silhouettes, flowy fit and flare patterns will rule the edit along with interesting coord sets. However, we will be experimenting with the design work and the fabrics, to give our collection a twist. We are going big on cotton satin, silks and there is also a surprise fabric for the festive season.
What colours and silhouettes will be trending?
Dusky pastels are the hues to look out for this upcoming season. My personal favourite is lilac. We always try to create classic patterns and clothing that sustains. Fit and flare silhouettes never go out of fashion.
Fabrics to bet on?
Velvet. Velvet. Velvet. I can’t stress this enough. It personifies luxury and comfort. And I deeply feel that it has not been utilised to its truest potential.
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Three non-negotiables in one’s wardrobe.
Signature pastel-coloured suits, chiffon saris and co-ord sets are festive wardrobe-essentials. A word of caution for all brides shopping for their trousseau. Always buy a wedding outfit that’s light, comfortable and easy to move around in.
You just don’t want to look beautiful and just sit in a corner at your wedding. You would want to enjoy it, and that’ll be possible only if you are wearing a comfortable outfit.
sharmistha@newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas