Inspired by French singer Edith Piaf’s famous song La Vie En Rose, Eshaani Jayaswal’s autumn-winter’ 20 collection that goes by the same name, is easy-breezy, beautiful and instantly washes you over with romance and brings a smile to your face. We caught up with the designer on the making of the range.

The collection is so pretty and feminine! It’s got a princess-y vibe to it. We all should be our own princesses, especially given the times we are going through, right?

Life can feel like a bunch of to-do lists and deadlines but you have the opportunity to witness yourself and the incredible journey you are on. This is how you begin to celebrate yourself. Celebrate the ordinary moments in the most extraordinary ways.

Is the song La Vie En Rose a favourite?

Life is pink! It’s my current favourite. Listening to the song makes me want to live in the 1950s. A decade of glamour, femininity and European haute couture. I feel extraordinary, wonderful and unique.

Eshaani Jayaswal

How did you conceive the collection?

Spending days at home during the lockdown I would write notes in my gratitude diary. Capturing nature in all its forms became my new passion. The hues of the sky, the textures of the leaves and serene sound of nature calmed my soul. I used the archives of everything that made me happy into creating my autumn-winter collection La Vie En Rose.

Is this your most challenging collection given the circumstances? Did you have to struggle to feel positive to come up with this happy a collection?

I started working on this collection in May, using this time to brainstorm and sketch. Being in a happy state of mind made the process of designing smooth. The real challenge was working on the colours .The idea was to create a collection that is unique and identifiable by others. A collection that resonated with every individual. As the collection talks about celebrating moments, I had to keep in mind the little things that make us happy. I wanted to create a collection that had something for every occasion.

When would you design?

I really enjoyed spending time at home, sketching, making notes and researching. Mornings and late evenings were the ideal times to design. The infinite colours of the sky inspired me.

The rose motif ups the romance of the collection. Tell us what the rose means to you.
A feeling of eternal loyalty. The intriguing and classic nature of roses is what draws me towards them. Roses are symbolic of new beginnings! Each hue of a rose is significant of a mood and a feeling. Roses evoke a feeling of purity, innocence and youthfulness. They give me a sense of bonding, care and joy.

We love how charmingly soothing each piece is. Tell us about the soft colour palette which is very fairy-tale-ish.

Pastels help us escape reality. Dreamy pastel colours take us back to our childhood where toys like My Little Pony, Barbie, and our beloved candies shared this same sugary colour. From pastel pinks, peach, pale yellow, mints all the way to the softest pastels are dream-like soft, romantic and the absolute antidote of our daily lives. I created my palette on the basis of the colours of the sky. Within them are an infinite variety of hues that soothe our soul.

The kidswear looks adorable. Do you plan to introduce that permanently?

I had launched my kidswear label in 2015 with Style Creche. I thank Rachana Goenka for motivating me to create a kidswear line. Making miniatures are always fun, they give me an immense sense of joy! Clients have approached me to create similar pieces for their daughters. Yes, I do look forward to creating couture for these you beautiful young girls.

Do you feel a difference in your design process now that you have released your first collection post-pandemic?

I feel I am more aware about my aesthetics and what I want to create. I have become more organised about my design process. The realisation that we’ve always looked at creating something unique, that resonates with me. There is a lot of thought that goes behind each silhouette, the colours, the placement, the mood and the story. I have felt like the director who conceptualises a story and releases a film which is out there for people to watch.

How will this Diwali be different?

I hope this Diwali is about new dreams, undiscovered avenues and respecting nature.

Pictures courtesy: Eshaani Jayaswal

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