Rajesh Pratap Singh – ILLUSION
A collection of contrasts divided into day and night, ‘Illusion’ opens with structured ensembles in very light gossamer fabrics followed by fluid silhouettes in harder opaque fabrics.
Much like Yin & Yang, opposites sometimes need to meet. These complementing contraries come together in the collection through the interweaving of pastel shades with metallic yarns into sheer glass weaves progressing to blacks and midnights with silver highlights.
With fabrics especially created for the collection, the woven experiments feature silver, stainless steel, paper aluminum, hand-woven and hand-spun khadi, silk and linen. ‘Illusion’ also revisits the statement Rajesh Pratap Singh pieces like the white shirt, bias churi sleeves, village bundi vest, structured jacket and the veil, albeit in a new avatar. The traditional frame (adda) hand embroidery technique has also been twisted to use metal parts for a modern rendering.
Urvashi Kaur – SHUNYA
Rooted in her aesthetic, most inspired in her sensibility, effortless infuser, Urvashi Kaur, presents SHUNYA.
With an affinity for indigenous, hand-woven textiles, the usage of silk weaves like Maheshwaris, Chanderi, Tassar, Tissue, Matka, Kota and Khadi cotton, resonate the free reign of thought of the human mind. Subtle metallic blends are a nod to innate strength, juxtaposed with the Zen-like quality of sheer, translucent voiles and linens, exploring a dichotomy between concealing and revealing, making the collection conceptual in essence.
There’s a raw, unmistakable honesty in Urvashi’s detailing; devoid of embellishments, the drama lies in the textural techniques. Engineered placements of the Shibori, tie &dye technique evoke the Bandhej tradition, and block prints inspired from mosaic styled geometric patterns are all infused with a prominent positioning of the Hamza, Hand of Fatima. The entire collection incorporates hand tucking, subtle ruching and dramatic pleats, alongside separates with touches of volume and movement, in drapes that set a dramatic rhythm.
The collection exudes a timeless and ethereal quality, all the while swearing its allegiance to its creator’s artful sense of design, upstaged only by its rich, cultural connects.
Date: 19th August 2014 onwards
Venue: Ensemble Kemps Corner, Ground Floor, White Hall, August Kranti Marg, Mumbai
Time: 11 AM – 7 PM