Beautiful pastel shades and sophisticated ethnic silhouettes with a very modern touch in pure fabrics are what define couturier Prashant Chouhan’s collections. The eponymous label founded by the emerging designer 4 years back has already earned renown in the city’s fashion circle and beyond for the understated elegance of the silhouettes. The designer unveils his label’s website and the resplendent monsoon-festive edit today, and shares with us every tiny detail of the new collection.
Tell us about your monsoon festive collection in detail.
Our Monsoon Festive 2023 collection has been designed keeping in mind the pre-festive occasions, especially weddings. Hand-crafted on smooth pure silk fabrics with tone-on-tone intricate embroidery, the collection provides structured silhouettes with the required amount of ease and flow. We, as a label, love playing around with the natural texture of the fabric and this time around, the soft silk threads have been knotted and used as part of texturing which is the high point of the collection.
What’s the idea behind this collection?
The idea was to create minimalistic outfits inspired by the exquisite and detailed Mughal architecture and the rare and nuanced marble artwork that are an integral part of our country’s heritage. Making ensembles which are easy to wear and have a vintage charm to them was my intention this time.
How different is this collection from other collections?
With each collection, we try to create a visible difference to keep our existing clients engaged and interested and to reach out to and engage new clients. We have tried and explored the self-embroidery designs which are so subtle and sophisticated and we have done that with silk and sequence for the very first time because the storyline of the collection demanded that. Some extremely fresh silhouettes have been created including jacket-pant sets with corsets, the classic and evergreen Anarkalis with a modern styling twist to make them relevant in today’s time. But we have also taken adequate care that the beautiful anarkalis retain the same old vintage charm.
You launched your website today.
Yes, we wanted to reach out to a wider client base across the globe and it was on the cards for a long time. Now, our clients can shop from wherever they are and can go through a virtual tour of all our signature styles including our new range of products like, saris, stoles, dupattas and potli bags. Very soon we will go live with our menswear and kids wear collections too on our website.
What are occasion wear wardrobe essentials?
A classic anarkali with a dupatta and churidar pants is a must-have for any festive or occasion wear along with kalidars and kurta sets which are very easy to carry and elegant in looks. If one accessorises them in the right way, they can elevate the looks at any time of the day.
Some summer fashion tips for readers?
It’s always better to keep your entire look comfortable and soothing during the summer and monsoon seasons. So, you can safely stick to loose-fitted outfits in lighter colours and pastel shades. Also, settle for clothes that really make you feel good.
How can one accessorise ethnic or occasion looks without overdoing it?
I always believe that less is more and as a brand too we have channelised that philosophy in all our collections. So, I will always recommend sticking to the evergreen classic styles when it comes to ethnic wear. A sling bag or a traditional potli bag is good to go with your ethnic attires and you should avoid too much jewellery. Rather I would suggest that one should go for statement pieces like a pair of interesting jhumkas to make a mark without overdoing it. Complete the look with a pair of colourful mojris and a small bindi on the forehead and you are good to go.
Advise on how to choose the correct occasion wear according to one’s body type.
It’s important to know your body type and to know your individual sense of styling. Also, comfort is even more important. A well-fitted Kurta or an Anarkali works for someone with a narrow waistline. For those who have medium to large body types, it’s better to avoid divided silhouettes or fitted clothes. Rather, they should settle for an A-line kurta and kalidar. Outfits, which have shoulders in place and are well fitted from the chest, falling free from the waist to the hips, will always work well for the average Indian body type.
Price on request. On prashantchouhan.com