What made Ashish N Soni’s fabulous showcase of his ritzy jazzy and very contemporary adaptation of the 70s retro mania special, was how he used the colour brown in a big way in all the ensembles.
Aptly named The Retro Orchard, this collection offers a peek into Ashish’s fondness and fascination for the boho chic 70s symbolised by bold colours, thick lines, flowery patterns, and graphics playing an important role. All of these were present in all the ensembles that were showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI last week in Delhi, albeit in a very modern way
The jazzy edit has everything that you may look out for to make your winters special and warm. The bright accents and the intelligent use of fabric make each outfit a party wardrobe must-have. Ashish enhanced the nuances of the colourful era with vibrant plaids for menswear, which also happens to be his fabric of choice. While brown is the leading star of the colour palette, he depicted gender equality, an emerging issue in that era with gender-neutral outfits.
Trousers made by Ashish are popular and the range has along with that an interesting display of double-breasted suits, wide shoulders and matching wide lapels for both sexes.
What was the idea behind the collection?
As a designer, I had gotten so used to my comfort zone that I wanted to step out of it and do things that are relevant today and things that I can do but have never done before. So, the idea was to go back to the drawing board and do something exciting for example mixing so many colours, so many prints and so many textures that I haven’t done in the past 30 years of my career. So, I worked on this collection very hard and borrowed from a much older era but the idea was to keep it relevant for today's generation.
The biggest thing is that I have done an on-season-in-season collection which is a see-now, buy-now and is all for the current festive season. The palette has been inspired by the 70s, especially the raging brown, which is one colour that I never used before. So, I took it and created different aspects of brown.
What about the fabrics you have used this time?
More than anything, this time my fabric choices were influenced by the way I am changing as a person and a designer. Previously, I have openly used a lot of polyester across my collections, but the way the sustainability drive is going on across the world has also inspired me. I was extremely affected by a documentary on environmental hazards and I have incorporated a lot of changes in my own life. This is my first ever effort where I have done a show with zero polyester outfits. I have used a lot of wool and I have sourced them from the country and abroad. I have been working on this line for almost a year instead of a season.
What are the changes you brought into your life?
Not to buy fast fashion or go for weekend shopping. It’s out of my life for good. I am not spending a single dollar in random stores where I am feeding landfills and plastics in the ocean. So, my shopping will now be restricted to 2-3 things that I will value and keep wearing.
Price on request. Instagram: @ashishnsoniooficial