Ashita Singhal’s City Blues edit explores her relationship with Delhi
The City Blues collection from couturier Ashita Singhal’s label Paiwand Studio won hearts and Nexa Presents The Spotlight award at the recently concluded LFWxFDCI show for exploring her love and hate relationship with her city of birth, Delhi.
For this collection focusing on upcycled handcrafted textiles, the couturier worked around waste from city billboards, discarded leather, textile waste, velvets and more urbane waste. The collection incessantly uses blues, indigos, greys, whites with accents, but also incorporates kohl blacks, full plums, rust, hints of succulent reds, and glum olives. The silhouettes define a contemporary urban lifestyle brought to life by overlays, edgy pants, comfort wear, relaxed, embroidered kaftan tunics. We chat with the talented designer to know more about the same.
City Blues addresses some very pertinent and complex issues facing our society. What’s the idea behind the collection?
With the issue of mass consumerism and herd mentality culture being at the core, City Blues delves into how one gets consumed in the hustle and loses consciousness towards consumption. It seeks inspiration, and also inspires the city dweller, one who dares to dream in the concrete jungles. As we draw parallels between textile waste and the narrow urban alleys, our collection gives visibility to those often overlooked in the fashion industry, the artisans behind our couture. Paiwand Studio, through City Blues, stands to redefine how we look at waste and the urbane, while providing an alternative to the vicious mundane circularity entrapping the cityscape.
Each look from the collection derives from the city dweller, the range reflecting the diversity a city holds. It is a melting pot of several different ideas, techniques, lifestyles, and philosophies, with each co-existing and playing pivotal roles. Our collection highlights this very aspect, while toiling around the darker shades that often loom around the urban mega structures.
What’s your design philosophy?
I was born and bred in Delhi, and I call Ghazipur landfill my mountain instead of the Himalayas. I would say my sternness to deplete landfills of textile waste led me to establish Paiwand Studio, a sustainable venture. We have revived the Delhi weaving cluster and indulge in sustainable production through the age-old craft techniques. As a craft revivalist, weaver, and social entrepreneur at heart, I want to reimagine a sustainable, slow, and craft-oriented urban cityscape.
Your favorite fashion icon and why?
Princess Diana remains my favorite fashion icon. I admire how her clothing choices and style are so well thought out and became a tool to communicate when words weren’t enough.
Who inspires you and why?
Issey Miyake, the legendary Japanese fashion designer, holds a special place in my heart. Miyake’s design philosophy and deep connection to his own culture and heritage have played a crucial role in my understanding of Indian textiles and costumes.
Details of your upcoming collections you are working on.
We are currently developing textiles for our SS’25 collection. This collection features a playful mix of stripes and vibrant color interactions. We're also experimenting with geometrical motifs and exploring block printing techniques on our signature upcycled textiles.