Fashion as art: Chennai’s upcoming installations reimagine textiles and form

Since its inception in 1989, Ogaan has been a pioneering platform for Indian designers, launching the careers of names like Anamika Khanna, péro, and Payal Khandwala. As Ogaan opens its first store in Chennai, it brings a carefully curated selection of both established and emerging talent. To mark this occasion, a few designers have been given the space to create immersive installations that transport visitors into their distinct artistic worlds.

"We believe the Ogaan opening in Chennai gives a glimpse into the exciting, pathbreaking work happening in Indian fashion at the moment," says Aashti Bhartia, who now helms Ogaan alongside her mother, founder Kavita Bhartia. The new store, housed in a sprawling heritage home, offers a dynamic setting for these showcases.

Fashion installations offer a unique intersection of craftsmanship, storytelling, and artistic expression. As Chennai prepares for an upcoming showcase, five designers— Aneeth Arora (Però), ⁠Payal Khandwala (Payal Khandwala), Sneha Singh and Deepanshu Kunwar (⁠Reik), Riddhi Jain & Dhruv Satija (⁠Studio medium), and Amrita and Gursi (⁠Lovebirds)—bring distinct narratives to life through immersive textile-based experiences. These installations go beyond garments, inviting audiences to engage with culture, nostalgia, and form in new ways.

Behind the installations

REIK draws inspiration from French environmental artists Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon, whose work transformed landscapes with monumental fabric installations. With a deep connection to India’s cultural heritage, REIK integrates traditional bandhani textiles with flowing couture drapery, creating an interplay between landscape and craftsmanship.

“The idea is to bring together Indian craftsmanship and vintage couture drapery,” says the designer. Organza, a fabric integral to REIK’s identity, plays a central role in the installation, reinforcing the brand’s vision of ‘India Modern.’ The process involved numerous drafts and digital illustrations to seamlessly merge the design into Ogaan Chennai’s new space. “We hope people feel inspired and start conversations about the craftsmanship and art of fashion,” REIK adds.

For Péro, nostalgia and playfulness take centre stage in an interactive installation that bridges cultures through the lens of Hello Kitty. Titled ‘HELLO péro,’ the exhibit transports visitors into a world of handcrafted whimsy, featuring Hello Kitty installations, themed tattoos, and live hand embroidery. “The idea was to create an experience that mirrors the essence of Hello Kitty—a whimsical world filled with small things that bring happiness,” the designer explains.

The installation weaves together global textile influences, from Hungarian embroidery to Kolkata’s delicate floral bedsheets, merging them with the bold energy of Harajuku street style. Signature motifs such as cherries, cupcakes, and Hello Kitty’s bow are translated into péro’s textile vocabulary through intricate embroidery, appliqué, and crochet. “One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that the character of Hello Kitty fit seamlessly with traditional textile elements,” the designer shares, adding that balancing commercial appeal with handcrafted traditions required careful planning. Ultimately, the installation aims to leave visitors with “a sense of joy and nostalgia, embracing one’s inner child and the beauty of handmade craftsmanship.”

Studio Medium’s approach is more abstract, delving into the geometric form of the circle and its fluid transformation. “We play with the form of the circle in our practice—whether through surface manipulation, silhouettes, or giving function to the form,” the designers explain. Their installation features a suspended vertical structure, essentially a large circle balanced on a single axis, inviting viewers to reconsider perception and movement. Materials such as silk, shibori, metal wire, and dye become tools of experimentation, yielding an interplay between structure and softness. “Curiosity and play drive both us and the form—we are on a journey together,” they reflect. The work takes cues from influential artists such as Annie Albers, Sheila Hicks, and Mrinalini Mukherjee, who similarly explored the relationship between materiality and expression.

These installations, each distinct in vision and execution, highlight the evolving language of fashion as an art form. Whether through cultural nostalgia, textile storytelling, or sculptural abstraction, the designers reimagine the possibilities of fabric and space, offering Chennai an immersive experience that transcends the traditional runway.