A green-conscious homegrown brand, RA:Atelier explores global designs in Indian silhouettes. A brainchild of designer duo Ritvika Bansal and Ashwin Budhraja, the label seeks inspiration from nature and surroundings and is known for the fusion of Indian textiles and embroideries with Western silhouettes. Their recently launched collection, D-Tale, too, speaks the same language and captures how people are immersed in their daily lives, often forgetting to take a pause and connect with their loved ones. An ode to simple pleasures of life, D-Tale is an eclectic narration of seven different and heartwarming stories on cotton and linen blends.
Tell us about the latest collection D-Tale?
The underlying idea is to use a fabric that is easy and sustainable and hence we have worked with cotton and linen blends and kept the colour palette limited to mostly ivory with a slight hint of summer pastels to give the whole range an understated elegance. All our ensembles are anti-fit silhouettes, keeping in mind the low-waste patterning. We have consciously incorporated more rectangular pieces of the fabrics to reduce fabric wastage and use the complete yardage.
What will be trending this summer?
Summers are all about easy, breezy yet stylish clothes. Anti-fit silhouettes would be the upcoming trend. Their soothing and calm colour palettes and pop up effect on textiles work wonders. Pop colours and pastels are here to stay and crochet headgears are also making a huge splash.
What are your summer wedding fashion tips?
A blend of contemporary and traditional clothing is surely becoming everyone’s go-to fashion. Some Western silhouettes with a blend of Indian textiles and embroideries are picking up pace besides floral motifs.
How do you work towards sustainability?
We have been keen on how to reduce, recycle and reuse our resources/inventory and hence have begun using low wastage pattern techniques. We avoid the use of poly-based fabrics, chemical dyes, synthetic materials and promote handloom, instead.
What next?
Our next collection will have some elements like exaggerated pockets, collars, eclectic cuts to give the ensemble a vibrant and detailed feel. We are also venturing into menswear. Also, all our upcoming work would be showcasing khakha-free embroideries which will lend it a unique and personalised identity.
Available online
sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas