Advaitha Ravishankar possesses a rather unique flair for dramatic designs. Prints are the hero of her aesthetics. She celebrates art, bold colours and jazzy prints, and is not afraid to be loud.
Bold patterns
“I work on and discard hundreds of sketches before I can zero in on one that I want to use for the outfits,” says the designer and founder of label Advait. The designs are comfortable, and incorporate sustainable tenets of using upcycled pigments. “While printing digitally, dye leftover from initial sketches are preserved and used later,” shares the textile designer and illustrator. Checking out her creative process, videos of which she has posted on social media, highlight how much emphasis she pays to the very process of creating her prints. She progresses to silhouettes after the prints are ready.
London dreams
Her latest collection, 18Nineteen, is shaped with a sense of nostalgia for the British streets and Advaitha’s memories of London. She was in London before returning to India last September. She studied Fashion Print from the prestigious London School of Fashion. After coming back, she reached out and collaborated with local artisans. For sourcing the weaves, Advaitha asserts that she tries to work with as many indigenous clusters of weavers as she possibly can.
Easy glam
We like the fuss free nature of her cuts. For instance, a kimono shirt from her repertoire, worn by Mirzapur actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma is an example of how she pairs rather eccentric motifs with simple cuts to strike a balance. One can also expect wide-legged pants, jumpsuits crafted from recycled polyester blends with linen and Tencel. The oversized shirt with exaggerated cuffs and a wide notched collar from her collection is a versatile piece as well, and we like the easy glam look of the shift dress with side pockets.
Available online. Rs. 4,000 onwards.