Designer Chaitanya Rao, renowned for styling the who’s who of Kollywood and Bollywood, consistently stands out with his innovative and expressive designs. He always lets his clothes do the talking. A veteran in the field, Chaitanya has been designing and styling stars for over two decades now. With his latest Spring Summer 2024 collection, he invites you to channel your inner deity. The only designer from Chennai to have styled the Kingfisher Calendar model contestants, he has under his belt seven successful fashion weeks. We caught up with the designer, who is just back from a whirlwind shoot, styling actors Madhavan and Simran.
“My inspiration is Chennai, that’s my summary, always. You know, even when I used to showcase at the Lakme Fashion Week, I always did spring summer rather than a fall winter because being born and brought up in the south, I cannot associate myself with winter. And my clothes are always flowy and I usually keep my women’s clothes a little more flattering to the female form,” says the designer, who has designed for some of the leading ladies in the Tamil film industry like Nayanthara, Shruti Haasan, Taapsee Pannu, Trisha and Tamannaah as well as actors like Ajith, Dhanush, Madhavan, Suriya and Vikram. He has styled clothes for numerous ad films, working with some of the stalwarts in the film industry, like Mani Ratnam, and Revathi. His garments have also been worn by the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja and Miss World Runner-up Parvathy Omanakuttan.
His new collection features timeless pieces with contemporary flair in a palette inspired by the designer’s hometown, Chennai. Chaitanya’s designs promise not just to adorn the body but to empower the soul. It is for the confident women who are always ahead of the times and unapologetically stylish. As we delve into this collection, prepare to be transported into a world where every stitch and seam is an ode to the goddess within every woman.
The designer tells us that launching a new collection is always exciting and challenging, especially when “resources are limited”. “I love to give something exclusive to my clients; something that is not easily available and different in terms of silhouettes. So, there are always challenges,” he notes, and adds that designing costumes for films is equally challenging. However, he is quick to share that he enjoys working on a new collection a tad bit more. And he has his reasons. “You have a lot more creative freedom. While designing and styling for movies, one has to stick to certain specifications. I’ve gone all out with this spring summer collection with the use of ruffles, and feminine silhouettes, which are perfect for summer. Having said that, what I love about costume designing is the anticipation that comes with a movie release. You never know how your designs will be received by the audience,” he shares.
His new collection features separates like capes and shrugs along with summery dresses. What elevates the ensembles is the metallic embellishment s and croquet work along with the choice of fabrics. Most of the pieces in the collection can be mix and matched, which adds to their versatility. They are just right for a resort wedding, as well as for a beach holiday. The jackets and capes can be teamed up with a sharara or even a bikini.
Chaitanya has used colours that exude the summer vibe. You will find a lot of blues, greens, yellows, oranges and reds in silk, cotton and linen — fabrics that work well for summer. “The white and blue outfits are made using imported fabrics. My forte is western wear, which is quite evident in the cuts and detailing,” he says.
His association with the city is evident in the use of fabrics like khadi silk and cotton sourced from the state. “I use a lot of organic and sustainable fabrics, which again is locally sourced. They are breathable and work very well for the Indian summer. In this collection too, you will find a lot of organic fabrics,” he says.
Taking the organic trend a notch higher, Chaitanya has designed an entire men’s wedding line in organic cotton with a lot of handwork and embellishments. “Unlike most wedding ensembles in synthetic fabric, these are high on comfort as well. You will even find jackets in organic cotton. Cotton and linen needn’t be boring. When people think of cotton, it is usually the wrinkled, shapeless garments that come to their minds, which needn’t be the case. My collections are a case in point. We need to embrace our cottons more instead of using synthetic fabrics, which most brands are promoting these days,” says the designer.
Chaitanya likes to keep the embellishments minimal and play up on the silhouettes. “I always make it a point to use luxurious fabrics; there is no compromise on that. Along with the locally sourced fabrics, I use a lot of imported fabrics, especially from Italy. With embellishments, and ruffles you can elevate these garments,” he shares.
About the trends for spring summer 2024, the designer tells us that blacks are still going strong. “Black is always in trend, no matter the changing seasons. Ruffles have come back in a big way too,” he says.
Chaitanya’s pick of the lot from this collection is the capes, which are statement pieces. “I think they will work very well for anybody. You can just team them up with a basic spaghetti top and denims; they will elevate the entire look. You can accessorise them with a nice gold belt or earrings,” he adds.
Price starts at Rs 7,500. Preview at Fern & Ade till May 12, 2024.
manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
