Hyderabad-based Aisha Rao’s latest collection Nadenka stands out because it manages to merge opulence with sustainability through its delicately-woven lehengas. The couturier elaborates that she has always aimed at starting a luxury upcycled occasion wear brand which she did over two years ago.
Upcycled Luxe
“Our signature design aesthetic lies in appliquéing fabric in varied colours onto sizeable motifs and embellishing them with materials like dabka, nakshi, sequins and beads,” adds the designer who has dressed the likes of A-listers like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Sania Mirza.
After graduating from Instituto Europeo Di Design Barcelona and Sewing and Garment Construction at Parsons - The New York School, Aisha began the journey of her label. "Fashion was undergoing a change and I knew I had a chance. That's when I started thinking about upcycled luxury and how I wanted to make upcycled lehengas with patchwork and appliqué," she says.
The Russian route
Talking about how she found the name for the collection, she highlights that Nadenka is a Russian girl's name which means hope. “The motifs you see on the lehengas are inspired by Russian folk motifs. We try to keep even our traditional outfits fun and they have a riot of colours and quirk,” says the designer. She mentions there's a reason why they do such big and colourful motifs. “We appliqué any sort of left-over fabric from tailoring bias skirts and linings onto the lehengas," elaborates Aisha. The technique, she explains, helps in making a statement. Hence, they require minimal embellishment (plastic sequins and other toxic materials) post that.
Available at her studio in Hyderabad and online.
Rs 65,000 onwards for couture.
Rs 1,20,000 onwards for bridal lehengas.