Sew New

Where: Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week

Surabhi Chawla
In her three years at NIFT,Delhiite Surabhi Chawla packed in quite a punch. A six-month exchange programme saw her picking up tips on fine cuts in Italy’s well-known Instituto Superiore di Design in Naples and showcasing a collection at the Alta Roma Alta Moda fashion event in Rome in July 2007. By the time she graduated in 2008,Chawla had notched another star on her CV by snagging a job with designer Ashish Soni. “I’ve always wanted to focus on street fashion,the way people wear it in Europe,because prêt is more about everyday wear,” says Chawla whose clothes combine Indian elements,like weaving,but on a western silhouette,and the tonal variations that she attains through handcrafting textures give an edgy optical play. Available at her studio in Kirti Nagar,the price of her collection varies between Rs 2,500 and Rs 8,000.

Where: Delhi Fashion Week

Payal Kapoor
For someone who has been running the fairly successful Arushi Art Gallery in Delhi with several shows and curatorial works to her credit,a detour into fashion might seem odd. But 38-year-old Payal Kapoor insists fashion has always been her first choice. “I’m a trained textile designer from NIFT,Delhi,but I never had the time to get into it because my kids were too young. Now that they have grown up and the gallery is also doing well,I thought it was about time,” she trills. Her label,Famous,she says,is an amalgam of Indian influences on Western silhouettes. Expect mirrorwork and detailed handwork,bright colours like indigo blue,mango yellow,fuschia pink et al. She also has her accessory label,Raj,which already sells out of Bebe,Neiman Marcus and Nordstorm in the US. Famous is tagged at Rs 1,500-25,000 and is available at Samsaara and Ogaan across the country.

Where: Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week

Kartikeya and Isha
Their label is called Dozakh,which means ‘hell’ in Persian,but Nitin Kartikeya insists that their ensembles are really about finding the light amidst all the gloom. “Darkness and hardships bring out the best in people. We believe in drawing from bitter experiences and coming up with something inspirational from it,” says the 25-year-old from Lucknow,who came to Delhi five years back. Kartikeya set up the label with fellow classmate,23-year-old Isha,while still in college and the two have a store in Hauz Khas that has even garnered mention in the Conde Nast list for chic shopping outlets in the country. Priced at Rs 5,000-Rs 35,000,they are available at Aza and Amara in Delhi and Mumbai,besides their flagship store.

Where: Delhi Fashion Week

Kiran Jaisinghani & Meghna Agarwal
We are excited but nervous,” echo the 29-year-old Jaisinghan 26-year-old Agarwal. Both studied fashion at SNDT and NIFT and launched their label Myoho a year ago. “We met when we were working under Priyadarshini Rao and our sensibilities matched,” says Jaisinghani. “Our USP this season will be an interplay of Indian handloom and western silhouettes.” Sold at Ensemble,Melange and Zoya in Mumbai,Anatam,New Delhi,and Elahe,Hyderabad,their clothes are priced between Rs 6,500 and Rs 11,000.

Where: Lakme Fashion Week

NEHA AGARWAL
Agarwal graduated from NIFT in 2003. But if you are wondering why you have not heard of her in the last six years,it is because she chose to establish herself by doing outstation exhibitions. “It is easier to set up the business that way,” feels the 27-year-old who is now ready to hit the stores. After she was awarded the Most Creative Designer in her batch,she was fortunate to bag a year-long internship with Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Agarwal believes in the power of separates and she will play on this strength. “They work well on their own while also making a strong statement when they come together as an ensemble,” she says.

Where: Lakme Fashion Week