AIFW PREVIEW | SHWETA KAPUR

Known for her sporty chic sensibilities, Shweta Kapur of label 431-88 is all set to present a new fluidity at the Amazon India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016. We visited her workshop to get a sneak peek of her collection ‘The Misfits’. Talking about the inspiration behind it, the designer explains, “We went back into our own garment history and looked at the evolution of a saree, to see how we could change the silhouette around. I have also injected the subculture of punk into it."

So, why the title Misfits | “Because I have always felt like a misfit myself everywhere. For me, punk was a really good fit, as it resonated with the ideals of being a misfit,” she says.

How did she manage to tie up the whole saree concept with elements of punk | “There are 108 ways of wearing a saree. The whole DIY concept of pleating, tucking, wrapping around, and you can just make 108 more variations—for me, it all resonated with punk. The safety-pin, which is considered the symbol of punk, is also used to tie up a saree.”

Last season (AIFW F/W 2015), we saw one look with a saree in her collection. So why did she move away from western silhouettes and decide to go with a saree this season | As the designer puts it, “I really wanted to play with the saree as it’s a part of our heritage. If my woman has to wear a saree, she would not wear something that her mom does, but do it her way. A lot of my clients also ask for sarees. We decided to do a fresh take on it, which is fresh, young and would take a woman of substance to wear.”

While the silhouettes of the collection come from a saree, Shweta has come up with some interesting techniques like converted mesh as Mughal Jaali,used laser cutting techniques used on the saree border to show the destruction of punk, besides using beadwork, and playing with zippers. The color story was challenging as the designer had to look beyond her signature white and black. Shweta says, “We have used a summer-oriented color palette of baby blues and pinks.” The show will feature simple, clean silhouettes with some twisted elements and strong details.

The whole R&D process of researching into the fabric and different techniques, has been an incredible journey for the designer. In fact, she got so immersed into the whole design process that her team had to finally intervene and ask her to stop, the designer concludes with a laugh.

So, mark your calendars as designer Shweta Kapur is all set to showcase at the Amazon India Fashion Week on 9th October, 2015 at NSIC Grounds, Okhla.