New chic abode

Mumbai's fashion lovers are in for a fab surprise as designer Gaurav Gupta opens his flagship store in the heart of the artisanal Kalaghoda. Fantasy and its figments have always remained the plot of the stories Gaurav tells.

Working in great proximity with lines, the flow of fabric and the anatomical make up of the body has lent a science to the way his garments sculpt the body, making it look taller, more shapely and musical. Well acclaimed for conceptual fashion, the designer is the couturier of choice for leading celebrities for red carpet in India and internationally.

Says Gaurav Gupta, "It's a space that amalgamates fashion with magic realism and extreme fantasy. I have always been fascinated to bring forth newer forms of sartorial expressions and my clothes highlight the contradiction between draping and sculpture." The brand's stores have always been a strong representation of his vision for sculpted spaces and are born out of the duality of his collections for his pret and couture lines.

Spread over 1700 sq ft, the flagship store in Mumbai as a space is conceived as an immersive environment sculpted in monochrome. It is visualised by the designer as an alcove where whimsical architecture and design amalgamate to sculpt a world of suspension and belief.

A fluid wall of moving fabric carves out smaller pockets that appear and disappear within the larger shell revealing glimpses of different zones for couture, prêt and menswear. The meandering space works on the notion of hide and reveal and is executed by inserting a series of drapes some of which are motion activated that create shifting volumes simulating a grand theatrical performance.