There’s symbiotic relationship between film, fashion world: Urvashi Kaur

By Durga Chakravarty

New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) Fashion designer Urvashi Kaur feels that the Hindi film industry is of utmost importance for the fashion world due to its massive connect with the masses, which helps in endorsing a designer's creativity to a larger audience.

Kaur, who is all set to showcase her latest collection 'Vaasa' at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017, says there is an interesting relationship between Bollywood and fashion world.

"The film industry is huge, and has a massive reach. In India, film stars are adored and worshiped which means that what they wear and endorse reaches millions of people and creates a major impact," Kaur told IANS when asked how important is Bollywood for the fashion industry.

"This visibility has led to an interesting and symbiotic relationship between film and fashion," added the designer, who has styled the likes of Neha Dhupia, Tisca Chopra and Diana Penty.

Kaur's collection will be showcased on the first day of the five-day extravaganza, which commences on February 1.

Talking about her collection to IANS in an e-mail interview, she said: "My collection is centred around the traveller and spiritual seeker and his metaphorical journey, This journey is titled 'Vaasa' and is an ongoing theme within my work and has continued to inspire me through various collections."

With no showstopper in the limelight for Kaur's show, she says that her collection's narrative does not need one.

"The objective of doing a fashion show for me is to share my creative processes and explorations with an audience. A showstopper does not feature within this narrative in my case," said the designer.

Her range at the fashion gala will see a wide variety of handwoven textiles like khadi, simple cottons, traditional Ajrakhs and Kota doriya with pale lustre of cotton silks.

Kaur says that Indian handloom in current scenario needs all the focus it can get.

"In the current scenario of fast fashion and complete mechanisation, any hand-done process or craft/art form needs all our focus," she said.

She will be showcasing tailored shirts, skirts and structured jumpsuits, shirt dresses and tunics in earthy hues, with a dusty fawn that fades to a faint blush adding balance with shades of darker indigos and olives.

As a designer, Kaur says she is trying to "re-imagine" how to work with Indian textiles.

"As a designer, I am trying to re-interpret and re-imagine what can be done with the beautiful textile heritage of our country," she added.

The fashion gala will conclude on February 5 with celebrated designer Anita Dongre bringing the curtain down with her collection themed "Liquid Gold". Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan will be seen walking as a show-stopper at the grand finale for Dongre.

(Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)