Reinterpretation of vintage designs often takes extensive hours of research and some courage. Designer Sailesh Singhania ensured he had copious amounts of both for the upcoming collection he will be presenting at the Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2017. It is inspired by the statements of some of the most beautiful women in Indian history. He has taken upon himself the arduous task of recreating several royal draping styles.
Princess diaries
“My muses are Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur, Maharani Sita Devi of Kapurthala and Princess Dürrüsehvar Sultan from Hyderabad. I have attempted to give a modern twist to saris by pairing them with overcoats, trench, pea coats with high collars. This is my nod to stunning women from Indian royalty who travelled to Europe with impeccable, unequalled style,” says Sailesh. The collection, aptly titled The Winter Rose, is designed for young brides-to-be.
Hand woven haute
The designer who has worked with weavers across India is known for his expertise in handloom inspired craft. He got rave reviews for the collection of Pranpur saris he presented last week at the show titled, Woven 2017, curated by actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu who is also one of his patrons. The event was presented in association with the Department of Handlooms and Textiles, Government of Telangana, and saw showstopper Adah Sharma flaunting an exquisite cobalt Pranpur mulberry silk sari.
Vintage vibes
The minute details on the drapes also hark back to the opulence one could spot in the palatial residences from 1930s-40s. The motifs include chandeliers you could perhaps spot in a Nizam’s home in those days, tea pots and a pattern of Jaipur jharokha (arched windows). The designer, says that he has worked with hand woven fabrics, ranging from mulberry silk to Banarasi. “The colours are what young brides would love to opt for. There’s ruby red, orange, purple, fuchsia and emerald green with vintage gold zari work. The Winter Rose by Sailesh Singhania will be presented at St Regis, Mumbai on August 18. Post that, his collection will be available at his Banjara Hills Studio.
Rs 30, 000 onwards
Details: facebook.com/labelsaileshsinghania