Bottoms Up

At her Chandigarh store in Elante Mall where her label Jaamawar Minx is showcasing its autumn-winter 2013 collection,the first thing that strikes us is the vibrant selection of colours. Saffron,emerald green,mustard yellow,sunset gold,deep red and aubergine — it’s a cheerful mix. “Given how dreary winters can be,I use bright colours. Though there are no set rules this year on what is trending,” says Grewal,who divides her time between the studio and her workshop in Badhani — a quaint town on way to Dalhousie,as well as her stores in Chandigarh and Bangalore.

“Badhani is the ideal place to be inspired,” says the designer,who admits to finding many contrasting designs in her expansive lawns. “Nature throws up such interesting colour combinations that work beautifully when translated on clothing,” she says. Perhaps that was the inspiration behind a gota-patti,kalidaar ghagra we spotted at her store in saffron,which has been contrasted with fuchsia and bottle green trimmings.

While gota-patti,a traditional Punjabi embroidery,features heavily in her work,so do dabka,zardozi and the highly intricate Kashmiri embroidery called soji. “I have expert craftsmen who have been working with me for many years. It’s a difficult embroidery that’s dying a slow death and I am keen to revive it,” says Grewal,who has been successful in pulling out the Patiala salwar out of Punjabi closets and giving it a contemporary makeover. “Salwar-kameez is our heritage and I was disappointed to see that many young girls choose not to flaunt it. It’s now a must-have in all the trousseaux that I put together,” says Grewal. She uses multiple inserts of rich fabrics such as silk-brocade in different designs for a single salwar. “Sometimes I design an outfit by starting with the salwar first,” says Grewal. Called the Jaamwar Minx salwar,we see it as a pride of place in any trousseau.

The outfits by Grewal,though modern,work in traditional Punjabi motifs and the designer’s love for nature shows up in the floral designs too. When it comes to her choice of fabric,the collection at Jaamawar Minx brings in velvet and silks this season. “I am also biased to Chantily lace as the bride must have a sensuous element in her collection,” Grewal says.

The collection also offers a few very wearable two-piece saris inspired by the designer’s experiences in Bangalore.