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He is known to have honed his skills with none other than the legendary Yves Saint Laurent, but there is a lot more to French designer Samy Chalon - such as his uninhibited love for India, where he is now the international designer for Ritu Kumar's prêt label, simply titled Label.
It has been quite a journey for Label which was launched in 2004 by Kumar, hoping to give younger women an affordable option for prêt. "The language had to be international and now as we hope to expand the label, and give it a global edge, Chalon seemed like the perfect choice," says Amrish, Kumar's son and CEO at Label.
Chalon has his boutique in Paris and is keen to work with the heritage, colours and embroideries that India and Ritu Kumar is renowned for. "Right now I'm focused on India, where I am hoping to dress the global woman, and then we are planning to take Label to foreign shores," he says. The Frenchman's experience in the fashion world will help give an edge to contemporary Indian design ideology. "We want to give it a casual, modern vibe, so silhouettes are cooler, embroideries are lighter and things are more suggestive than overt, in terms of look and feel," says Chalon.
Making it easy and carefree has been his biggest challenge in a market which loves vibrant colours and embroideries, but he hopes that with his design inputs, Label will now be ideal for women of all age groups.
Chalon has worked with Michael Kors, Celine and Chloe, having shifted from studying science and politics in college to fashion, seduced by the power of design. He realises that fashion must be rooted, so his mantra for Label is to offer mix and match options, rich detailing and effective prints. "Kumar opened her archives for me and I discovered the sovereignty of artisanal value that the country possesses. I used that as a reference to offer simpler shapes with wearability. It is the most important ingredient for the success of any brand - as clothes are what you live in they don't have to be costumey or theatrical," he says.
Chalon has introduced flowing chiffon tops and dresses playing with sheer fabrics, and combined them with natty workmanship and draping techniques. "The look is sober yet rich with attractive silhouettes," he says.
The brand is affordable, with a range of jumpsuits, dresses, tops, skirts starting from Rs 2,000 and going up to Rs 16,000. "Chalon's creative energy along with his wealth of experience [he also worked with Kenzo] that he brings to the table is the reason why we got him on board," says Amrish.
Chalon admits that it is tough dealing with a colour-obsessed nation, where the body shape is different from that in the European market. "We avoid waist accentuating shapes here, but the Indian market is fast changing," says Chalon. He believes that many Indian buyers are open to experimentation and taking an unpretentious road, rather than complicated silhouettes.
