Designer Asmita Marwa is a name synonymous with sustainable fashion. A firm believer of slow fashion, the Hyderabadi designer has got the ball rolling on zero waste luxury, a concept that has its roots in recycling, upcycling and regenerative design to create timeless fashion. The designer has left an indelible mark in the fashion industry by creating dapper Bohemian yet ethical creations worn by stars
like Nagarjuna, Rana Daggubati, Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Shriya Saran, Preity Zinta, Asin and Tabu in the past.
Recently, Asmita launched her new collection titled Flowers and Frida at a glitzy fashion event in Warangal, Telangana. The collection was launched days before the Mexican artist’s birthday and was an ode to her radical personality that has inspired generations for eons. It featured actress Aditi Rao Hydari as the showstopper glammed up in a black tulle skirt with ribbon detailing, a custom fringe vest, and an off-white elegant organza shirt paired with quirky white sneakers while models strutted in brocade co-ords, bohemian jackets and bright-hued monochrome midis. The collection encapsulated the free spirit and individualistic style of Frida Kahlo by putting together signature voguish elements — floral head-dresses, relaxed silhouettes, radiant colours and not to forget the red lipstick! Altogether, the collection was a call to women to be unapologetic at heart, grounded in their heritage and true to their innate natural beauty. We spoke to the designer about her design inspiration, tips on staying eco-friendly, and how she blends various cultures to tell a story with her avant-garde creations.
How Frida has influenced you?
Frida was an advocate for free thinkers and was extremely talented with an intriguing sense of style. What has always drawn me towards this artist was more of her personal style and how she embraced her culture portrayed through the colour combinations and little floral elements in her hair. This is much like our Indian tradition and love for floral adornment. Frida adorned culture and heritage in an individualistic way which was effortless and has always inspired me. For this collection, I started with the fabric itself. I enjoy experimenting with different textures and then mixing and matching the possible combinations. We chose Aditi Rao Hydari as the show-stopper as she personifies the elegance and playfulness that was needed to bring the colours to life. Although her look was a classic black and white — it was a metaphorical representation of how Frida captivated the world.
What makes the collection zero-waste luxury wear?
It’s not just this particular collection but our entire method of production is zero waste. Over the years I’ve collected various types of fabrics, so much so that we have stopped buying it and instead experiment with creating our own new textures and fabrics that have unique traits. We also love working with easy silhouettes that could fit in effortlessly and yet add a little drama to your outfit. I must say, it takes longer to create a masterpiece from bits of various stories and backgrounds but when you do, you end up creating something absolutely unique.
Any tips to achieve sustainability?
Three words — reuse, reduce and recycle. As cliché as it sounds, once you enter the world of sustainability, it opens up a whole new horizon of possibilities. I believe there’s nothing wrong with repeating clothes. One can invest in pieces that tell stories and are long-lasting. One can also strive to achieve a balance between reusable statement pieces and basics that can be transformed as per
sartorial choices.
INR 9,500 upwards. Available offline.
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