Mama’s Boy

He had just finished a “fitting” session for WIFW and a lot of other “minor details” still had to be taken care of.

Odd shapes,anti-fit and “homeless chic” seem to be the forte of this young designer. And on Friday,when he showcased his autumn-winter collection on the WIFW ramp,he stuck to it — adding a dash of colour occasionally. “This is what comes naturally to me. I don’t design for anybody in particular; I don’t have a muse. See,I,being on the heavier side,never used to like tight clothes. So I guess that’s what shows in my clothes,” he said. Around four years old,his label Kallol Datta 1955,he says,is an ode to his mother. “Look,” he said,whisking his shirt sleeves up in what he called “Deewar-style” and showing a tattoo. “1955 is the year my mother was born. So you see,I’m a mama’s boy,” he added,laughing.

When asked about his off-beat style in designing and it’s future,Datta replied,“I’m not one of those designers who experiment on the ramp and then ‘dumb down’ their clothes so that they sell in the stores. I keep my clothes exactly as they are — with maybe a tuck or a trim here and there.”

His collection “XOXO” is based on a 56-year-old woman,who used to dissect corpses and later went missing. Large kaftans,shawls and graphic prints in shades of charcoal grey and black ran throughout his collection. Motifs such as “This is not a garment” also made an appearance.

So how does the young designer see himself evolve? Pat came the reply,“Evolution is an organic process. As I will change,so will my art. All I’m hoping is that the definition of words such as “off-beat” and “contrarian” will also change,” he finished on a thoughtful note.