You will be showcasing in Calcutta after a long time. What are you expecting?

Shantanu: Calcutta for us is a city filled with memories of the past. From an exclusive Calcutta-inspired collection in 2014 to a successful show in the year 2016; and now finally coming back in collaboration with Styleograph for a special preview of our couture and ready-to-wear collections, Calcutta has always been nostalgic and welcoming!

The brand is coming with a gamut. What can the Shantanu & Nikhil fans expect?

Nikhil: From Ceremonial Couture to Celebration Wear, a collection featuring voluminous gowns, Neo-lehngas and Anarkali gowns for women, and eclectic sherwanis, funky safari-chic bandhgalas exquisitely handcrafted for men. The collections from both couture and our ready-to-wear collection are apt for our millennial brides and grooms ready to dive into an immersive celebratory experience.

Sourced by the correspondent

How was it collaborating with Chikky and Styleograph again?

Shantanu: It is always a pleasure collaborating with Chikky. She has been a part of our brand journey for many years now. She is the liaison between us and our Calcutta audience that share the same interest, enthusiasm and our love for Calcutta. Styleograph as a platform has always acted as a nexus between us designers and our clients, and this time around, after much waiting, we are bringing to you an exclusive personalised experience at Kolkata Centre for Creativity on April 8-9. Commence your wedding journey with us and indulge in the world of Shantanu & Nikhil.

A lot has happened since the last time you were here. Your brand completed 20 years. You launched a new vertical. And then of course Covid. How are you viewing this brave but somewhat fearful world from a creative eye?

Shantanu: We observed a shift in the way consumers feel about fashion now, they are far more emotional in their choices and responsible in consumption. Thus, we felt the need to forge a more inclusive and conversational relationship with our consumers. Driven by this shift, we transitioned from the age-old perceptions of luxury to a more accessible and inclusive outlook of ‘neo-luxury’ through S&N’s product offering — a seamless celebration-wear brand underpinned by the spirit of celebratory India. The pandemic, for us, has been an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. In this constant effort to stay relevant and showcase brand resiliency, we are now embracing a more seasonless model of design. We are understanding our consumers better by studying their purchase behaviours, needs and expectations from our brand. We have taken our core beliefs and democratised luxury in the new normal.

Sourced by the correspondent

What changes have come into weddings this year?

Nikhil: In the post-pandemic landscape, design has become paramount. We as a brand have always been strong advocates of anti-trend couture, where the focus is on neo-shapes, silhouettes, minimalism and of course on the wearer. Weddings have become far more personal as occasions and brides and grooms have had to curb a lot of their wedding dreams in light of the current situation. Thus, there is this natural urge to compensate for that through their ensembles, more now than ever. Be it the bride and groom or an attendee, they are all looking at timeless pieces with unique detailing and a sense of contemporary ease. India has always been a country of celebrations and there is nothing more celebratory than an Indian wedding, so, in that subtext, no matter what the situation, we feel celebration-wear as a market is back up on its feet, sooner than we imagined.

What are you expecting from 2021 from a celebration point of view?

Nikhil: After the glum we were surrounded by for the longest time, I think the spirit of celebration this time around when everything subsides is going to be unmatched! Celebrating the smaller to larger moments in life to dressing and celebrating oneself is something 2021 would be all about.

More about it....

What: Styleograph presents Shantanu & Nikhil, curated by Chikky Goenka

Where: Kolkata Centre for Creativity, 777, Anandapur EM Bypass

When: April 8 & 9, 11am-7pm