Sexy doesn't mean skimpy: Namrata Joshipura

In a scenario where everyone worships street style and expects something avant-garde from designers season after season, designer Namrata Joshipura more often than not manages to throw up a frenzied romp. Picture a high-decibel hysteria of sequins, beads and embellishments on a panoply of rock-tastic city slickers. An NJ girl is smokin' hot. She's a traffic-stopper and gleams like a kryptonite.
A few weeks ago, the designer had sent out an endlessly explorable line of evening wear inspired by the mystical Greek Goddess - Nyx and dedicated it to the Indian Women's Hockey team, who won the Hockey World League on March 15 this year and never got any press for it. Not many know that Namrata used to play hockey for Delhi state. "It was my way of paying respect. I used to play hockey for Delhi state when I was in school and that's part of my DNA now," says she with a smile.

Reinterpreting Sporty chic
She's a runner and running over the years has helped her completely detox and that sporty streak is also seen in her evening dresses, gowns and jumpsuits.
"I definitely like dresses and evening glam look but I view it in a certain way, which is not overly sexy. Even if I do a fully-fitted evening gown, it's kind of fully covered yet it is sensual and that's what I am drawn to."

Glam rock movement
Namrata's silhouettes are mostly sharp and body con. Known for 3-D surface texturing, beading, panel placement and cut-work - she's created a niche for a woman who has a strong sense of identity and is not scared of taking risks. Having lived in New York, the well-travelled Namratais stays completely tuned into the street style which finds its way into her offerings.
"It's sort of a combination of high street fashion and glamour. It's moved beyond bourgeois and looking expensive. It's about being effortlessly cool. People who are really cool don't try hard. It just comes out and that's my muse and that's my girl."

Recently Namrata visited Tokyo and the dynamism of the city's fashion-forward women inspired to create the Akira cape which stood out in her line.
"We try to go to a new city every summer. I did Tokyo this year because I had never been to Japan and I was enamoured and inspired by the street style. I have 500 photographs of women I took on street. When I was working on the collection I actually referred back to them – embellishments, cape belted dresses – that's why I called it the 'Akira' cape. Even food inspires me. I seldom look at fashion shows. I follow a lot of bloggers who cover street style – Susie Bubble, Anna Dello Russo – what she wears and the way she puts it together and mixes and matches. Also, Tommy Ton – these individuals inspire me and get my fashion adrenaline high," she adds.

The NJ Woman
The aesthetic which Namrata is striving to accomplish is a look which is effortlessly cool. "It is something which takes a woman from work to a bar to a party. It does not look acquired nor does it look put together. It doesn't look so planned and thought of and I'd encourage women who buy the NJ collection to actually mix and match. It doesn't have to be NJ from head to toe and that's what I try to accomplish."

Rules of showing skin
Her glam rock look may exude the unmistakable va va voom but she doesn't believe in showing too much skin. "When you are adding sequins, which I like to do for evening wear, it in itself is kind of sensual and evening so you have to balance it with the right silhouette, the right fabric and the right amount of skin showing. That balance is essential. Sexy doesn't mean short, skimpy and skin-showing."

This time Namrata showcased daring risqué thigh-high cuts and she attributes that to her love for legs. "That also comes with my obsession of being a runner. I just love legs and I like to show legs. If it is a floor-length evening gown, the slit is kind of high. It's nice, it's a little peek-a-boo, the skin shows and yet it doesn't show."

Surface texturing
"The sequins we used in my autumn winter line was conical and we used it in different directions so it caught light differently. That's what I was playing with. The whole inspiration was night goddess so the look reflected an enchanted evening so I experimented with a certain three dimensionality."

Bollywood glamazons
"I like these women – they are not following the conventions and they are breaking the rules fashionably. In India, Bollywood and cricket are two religions and I am not a Bollywood snob at all because I like the way younger actresses are breaking the conventions. At the Vogue fashion awards, Kangana wore a bustier top with a skirt – now that's avant garde in a street way and that's my girl. Men are doing that too. I don't know if I can do costumes for a movie but stars wearing NJ is definitely encouraging."

Personal style
"I am short and I definitely can't pull off a gown. You have to know your body type. I'm so short. I can't be covered from head-to-toe. I also feel I am surrounded with so much fashion and creation of fashion that it's like a chef rarely enjoys the gourmet food he or she makes. I enjoy dressing up people more than myself."

Evolution of NJ
"The customer is also growing older with the label. We want them and we don't want to lose them because they contributed to where the brand is today. It's a fine balance between getting new customers. Young girls are very fashion conscious and there are so many options available out there. Even a Zara and Mango has a very trendy clothing for them. I believe now global fashion is – a very cool. It's not a very contrived bourgeois look. This is what we are also bringing about. Continuing to get newer client base and continuing to service our old customers. It's a fine balance."

Mumbai vs Delhi customer
"Now it's kind of seamless. The retail mentality is pretty much seamless now. Even internationally, the stores that we sell to – have started responding to a certain aesthetic rather than a brand. There is a certain kind of woman all over the world who responds to that aesthetic. There's a certain demographic responding to the clothes – it's more in Delhi than Mumbai but our presence is not much in Mumbai and that could be the reason. We have just opened our two new stores – one in Delhi and one in Kolkata."

Foray into menswear and kidswear
"My aesthetic is slightly more grown-up and being a mother myself, I don't like kids dressed up like grown-ups. I like my daughter to be in shorts and little dresses. I did experiment with kidswear briefly for Kidology but haven't taken it forward. Menswear is something I'm really drawn to but before that I'd like to work on creating a fusion Indian line – that's my sensibility, which is not necessarily Indian. This is something I'm building on slowly and maybe next year it'll have much bigger presence. It'll be an extension of womenswear."

Fav designers
"Internationally, I'm a big fan of Givenchy, Nicholas Ghesquire at Balenciaga and I like the way he thinks. Also, Raf Simons at Dior. I love high street shopping – H&M and ZARA. I've lived in New York for many many years so I go there twice year so I shop at these independent boutiques and LA brands. In India, I really admire Abraham and Thakore and I wear a lot of their clothes. I like Rajesh Pratap, Payal Pratap and Anamika Khanna. In the younger lot I like Bodice and Pero."

Copies galore
"I think there's nothing you can do about it but very quickly you have to move on and reinvent yourself keeping the DNA of the brand alive. A lot of these online portals sell cheap versions. It's not possible to have a trademark on every piece of garment. That's going to happen sadly and you can't do much about it."

Detox from fashion
"Twice a year, I go to mountains for intense trek where there is no phone or internet. Forget the world of fashion, even the real world is so remote. It completely cleanses. It's like a mental or digital detox. Running is mediation in motion. I go running on Sundays and come back cleansed after that. I felt slightly overwhelmed after the finale last year so I took a break but I have never really taken breaks in fashion. I think it's a designer's responsibility to continue to show and to be there season after season."