Designer Rocky S, who is set to showcase a collection of various crafts and techniques of India at London Fashion Week (LFW) on Saturday, feels that fashion is a way of life and is not restricted to any particular region or space. He also says that no matter how internationally available he becomes, Indian runways will always be his home.
"I believe fashion is a way of life. It is a global phenomenon; it cannot be restricted to a certain area, city, country or continent. A trend that starts in the west, finds its way to the east. Similarly, designers across the world are trying to make their mark beyond borders and continents too, that directly contributes to the growth of fashion and the rise of trends," Rocky told IANS before flying to London for his show.
"The exchange of trends, cultures and techniques is what makes fashion more than just a piece of cloth. It is an amalgamation of creative ideas across the world," he said.
He also shared that Indian runways will always be special for him as the platform has established him as a designer.
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"The Indian runways are home. It will always be special as it gave me a platform to showcase my creativity and establish me as a designer in the circuit. Having said that, I love to explore, push boundaries and try new things."
"Currently, I am making the most of new opportunities that come my way and am happy to say it has contributed to my learning process as a creative person. It has always been a dream to take my brand global, which is what I am slowly working towards at the moment, but as I said, Indian runways are special to me, and if a new opportunity presents itself, I will have an open mind towards exploring it," he said.
The designer is to showcase at LFW a collection titled 'Shringara' which denotes love and beauty, capturing poignant emotion in ethereal tales.
"It is a story of a modern woman, adorning herself as she waits for her love to arrive. The collection beautifully captures the musings of a woman and her thoughts. The essence of Shringara lies in the overwhelming emotion of happiness and in the celebration of a woman in love and its many moods," he said.
"I have always been fascinated by our country -- the diverse fashion and style that is different in every part of India. My collection takes inspiration from these varied styles that I manifest in decorative prints, handcrafted textures and opulent embroideries," added the designer.
He has used Indian traditional handicrafts that will be highlighted in the line.
"India is known for its rich culture and traditional handicrafts. As a designer, it is essential to create new styles in fashion but it is equally important to sustain our existing traditional crafts and techniques. Keeping that in mind, we have taken inspiration from vintage crafts and embroideries with an approach to reinvent it in high fashion styles," he said.
The designer, who is also known for his love to remaining true to Indian-ness, says that he likes the idea of fashion giving him opportunities to explore his creative idea in best way possible.
"I am a designer who is deeply rooted, I respect where I come from, and the part I love the most about fashion is that it lets me express that respect and admiration in the most unique and beautiful way every season," Rocky said.
"Staying true to my aesthetics, I always strive to keep traditional embroideries alive and make them more contemporary as fashion evolves."
He added: "Moreover, I don't think Indian designs necessarily means traditional Indian clothing, the appreciation I have received for my brand is for using traditional embroideries in the most unexpected methods. That for me is an achievement and am extremely fortunate to receive all the love."
(Nivedita can be contacted at Nivedita.s@ians.in)
--IANS
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