Designers Falguni-Shane Peacock, who have designed for the likes of Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez as well as Priyanka Chopra and Bipasha Basu back home and is gearing up to show their couture line at the ongoing fashion gala, says that India has always been a couture market.
"India has always been a couture market, and previously because the bridal market became huge it merged but India has always been a couture market. I think the amount of couture people wear in India I haven't seen it anywhere," Shane told IANS in an email interview.
"Couture in the western countries is seen on the runway or red-carpet but in India every one in some form has a couture piece," added Falguni.
Active since 2004, the designer duo created ripples in the markets outside the country by showcasing at various international fashion weeks like London Fashion Week and shows in Paris. The brand carries the signature use of feathers, sequence and prints. Integral to the Peacock culture is the juxtaposition between contrasting elements , fragility and strength Tradition and modernity and fluidity and severity.
Their latest showcasing of couture collection will see Kareena Kapoor Khan walking for them.
Talking about how definition of couture has changed over the years, Shane said: "Couture predominantly is still used for bridal. But, couture itself has evolved. You see a lot of it has traversed into demi couture and prêt. Its evolution is evident, but you still see most of it at weddings, especially in India."
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Added Falguni: "I think because of social media a lot of people do understand the difference between couture and bridal outfits. It will take about 1 or 2 years more until the masses understand the distinction and that's where you will start seeing the difference."
Talking about their line for the fashion gala, the designers said it is for the women of now.
"The inspiration has been derived from the palace of Junagarh , where a Parisian queen was invited for a mela. The folklore is very modern-chic and will resonate with the new age women. It is for the modern bride, a woman who knows exactly what she wants and is fuss free. It's something I can showcase at the Paris couture week if we cut the excess frill and other elements," said Shane.
Added Falguni: "We never do anything radically different; we always continue from where we left of, you will always see continuation in the story. Unless, we are doing separate men's wear or western line, we don't do anything that is completely contrasting. The reason we don't do anything drastically different is because people identify our garments and we have a signature style that people recognise, which will get lost if we keep switching our style consecutively."
As a designer with International fan following and clients, how easy or difficult it is to make such luxury garments only for Indian market ?
"I think we never design with a fixed notion, after we design we decide what will work for which market. Yes, there are a lot of influences of the west when we are designing for the western market and similarly, there are influences from the Indian market when we design for them," said Shane.
Giving more details about the colletion, Falguni shared that they never do anything radically different.
"We always continue from where we left of, you will always see continuation in the story. Unless, we are doing separate men's wear or western line, we don't do anything that is completely contrasting. The reason we don't do anything drastically different is because people identify our garments and we have a signature style that people recognise, which will get lost if we keep switching our style consecutively," said Falguni.
Talking about brand's expansion plans, they said that in 2019 they will see a significant change in the global market with FSP (Falguni-Shane Peacock)
(Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)
--IANS
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