Designer Amit Aggarwal’s new range of pret wear unveiled at LFWxFDCI has the right amount of swag
Often, in the modern world, the hurried pace of life doesn’t always allow us the luxury to pause or communicate. We brush past each other with hardly any time to greet, yet communication remains key to human bonding. This very concept of fluid, and, at times, silent communication forms the crux of couturier Amit Aggarwal’s latest prêt collection, Aged Anew: What We Have Now Is All That We Once Had, which he showcased in partnership with Nothing at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. This is the first full-fledged prêt line that Amit has introduced since the launch of his prêt label AM.IT in 2015.
To convey the message, Amit — who’s known in the world of fashion for envisaging dramatic sets on the ramp — had a massive 15ft by 20ft installation right at the centre, designed as a single loop with a material that can be repurposed. “It looks like it’s from outer space because I think that’s synonymous with our brand, but it’s designed with the idea of human communication and connection. There are two open ends to the installation so two humans can have a communication, even if it’s only when looking at each other while passing by. The idea is that despite the complexities of our emotions, humans can communicate. The voice may echo through different layers, but somewhere it resonates and reaches the person in the truest form that one would like it to,” explains Amit.
The latest collection is all about versatility — clothing that is effortless and made to be styled in the wearer’s own way. All the silhouettes have an edge and are structured yet fluid, consisting of easy layering pieces with bold details that can be mixed and matched. Infinity motifs run through the collection, and this season, Amit has made classic tailoring meet unusual draping, creating practical yet fashion-forward pieces like cropped jackets, asymmetric hems, and lightweight separates in rich jewel tones.
At the heart of it all is Amit’s latest muse, the Banaras brocade, which he has reworked with a modern twist and paired with signature handwoven polymer, thereby building a bridge between tradition and the future. “This collection is about freedom — clothes that move with you, adapt to you, and evolve with your style. Fashion should be effortless yet expressive. These pieces are designed to be worn your way, mixed with what you already love, and styled to feel uniquely you,” says Amit as he takes us through the collection.
Amit Aggarwal on his latest Aged Anew pret collection at LFWxFDCI
What’s new about this prêt collection?
We’ve always offered ready-to-wear, but only in glimpses — this is the first time it’s a full-fledged line. In 2015, I launched a line called AM.IT. This is a more updated version of it — a culmination of what my understanding of the brand has been, or where the brand stands right now. Prêt is now more about design with a sense of purpose. When you buy luxe prêt from a brand like us, your mindset is different from when you’re investing in couture. So, the core intent of the range is to get purposeful in the buyer’s wardrobe. Especially when a brand like us puts something on the runway, I think there is a certain expectation of it being a certain way because the brand has set a language. If you actually dissect the entire collection, it goes from nice everyday office-going shirts, which you can wear endlessly for the rest of your life, to something that will take you to a high tea, to an evening, and maybe to pieces for smaller occasions like Diwali or other such events. The range is an amalgamation of a lot of things that help you celebrate your daily life.
Tell us about the colour schemes and tones you’re exploring this time.
There are, of course, the core colours, which I think no human can live without — like the blacks, the whites, and the beiges — which make for effortless dressing. And of course, there are flashes of the brand colours like metallic accents and brownish golds, but very subtly done. There’s also intelligent use of the Banarasi brocades, a fabric that I’m currently in love with.
How difficult is melding design and creativity with the business of fashion?
That is the most exciting part of my job today. I no longer singularly enjoy just creating or just doing business; I think that cracking that right balance is what really excites me today. In our continuous efforts to create new ways of communication, we come up with new strategies, and it’s an open-door policy in the organisation — even someone who is at an intern level can approach all of us with fresh ideas.
How have you seen the Indian bridal market evolve over the years?
I think the bridal landscape today is getting very personal; it’s intimate. A lot of the younger girls are choosing to wear a sari over a lehenga even for their big days. So that’s where the Banarasis saw such success — because brides have picked them up for their main day, since the lehenga needs a certain amount of space to be stocked. There is a lot more uniqueness in the sari, while the lehenga, at the end of the day, is a similar silhouette. Our pre-draped Banarasi saris are seeing a lot of love from brides.
Also, in terms of a lehenga, a lot of what we do is actually featherlight. The way we do our metallic strips — it has a volume of its own, and it doesn’t need any ironing. So, you can fold it and roll it and keep it packed, and it will come back to its own shape when you wear it. I think these are the aspects of the lehenga that people really like. Of course, when you go to a heavier range, there is a lot of embroidery and other things that we’re still working on.
What will your fall-winter couture collection be like?
We have already set up mood boards together. There are certain ideas, but the core aspect of what I would like it to be is that it should give the audience a full experience when showcased on the ramp. What it makes them feel is a lot more important than what I get out of it, since a lot of us actually really have everything that we will ever need.
Also, I am just back from a beautiful Sicilian holiday, where there was Renaissance art all over. I saw a lot of it in my youth, when I travelled extensively across Italy, but I saw it again with a different perspective now. I do feel like Paris has its art, but Italy is better, and Sicily interestingly has a gothic take on the Renaissance with an Arabic influence, which is very refreshing. There might be a reflection of that in the AW collection.
I think bronze and chocolate will rule my fall collection, and chocolate is a pretty colour. A lot of skin tones refrain from wearing chocolate, especially in India, since there’s a perception it would make us look darker. But I think that chocolate is one of the finest colours for any skin tone.