Fashion: Breathe in the joys of summer

Nachiket Barve could very well be one of the few people we’ve come across who believes in the positive side of summer. Not the heat, not the dryness or the lack of respite from the weather, but the joys of spring and the possibility of wearing colours that are as bright as his temperament. That’s pretty much the message he puts across in his new Spring-Summer collection, Lightness Of Being, which is currently available in the city.

Candy colours like pinks, oranges, yellows, violets complemented by inspirations from nature — sunsets and flowers — this collection is one of those easy-to-wear lines we often hear of in fashion.

Dresses, wraps, corsets and even saris in chiffon, crepe and bits of silk literally brighten up the windows and racks of the store as ladies walk around, trying out the various designs and placing their orders.

“If you notice, you’ll see dandelions, effects of water ripples and sunset in the designs; I’ve tried to create some sort of an esoteric romance in my clothes,” says Nachiket.

Critically, Nachiket is capable of more complex designs; clothes that reflect the multitude of thoughts the designer can play host to, but what this collection does is relate to the urban woman at the snap of a finger. “I strongly believe that fashion has to be functional and clever and of course, effective and efficient. With time, a designer even achieves these qualities — it becomes easier, not always to wear but easier to make,” he says.

There are traces of tie and dye, grading of fabric, embroidery with bits of silk instead of thread — layers and textures that add value to the fabric and Nachiket is excited to be able to share that with Bangalore’s ladies for the first time. “It’s the first time I am doing a preview in the city and the difference is immense; to be able to walk around, talk to the ladies, clear their doubts and actually help them with their orders is so much better than sending clothes to a store and waiting for it to sell,” adds Nachiket.

The designer’s perspective of fashion is earthier than one would think, as he says, “People have different needs when it comes to fashion; their bodies are different and attitudes are different. I like it when a woman can take one of my garments and tweak it to her own style. So, you take a shirt dress and wear it as a kurti — I have no problem with that. But I do believe that fashion cannot survive on hype alone. It has to be classic and strong in order to sell.”

This season sees the designer experiment with products like jewellery, accessories like iPad cases and even collars that can be worn with dresses and each of these designs reflects the commitment Nachiket has towards his trade, something he wouldn’t exchange for anything else in the world.