Designer Zainab Saidulaeva had a pristine charm about her. There was an unalloyed romance about her being that was just palpable. Layered with nuances. Simple yet mysteriously magical. Much like the line she showcased at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI, presented by FDCI, called ‘Toi’ which meant ‘wedding’ in Kumyk. Hailing from Dagestan (Russia), Zainab, came to Mumbai to present Measure, her five-year-old brand, which unfurled beautifully in all its fluid styling and effortlessness.
Primarily crafted in black and white, a play of textures, patterns and soothing vibes made up the collection. “I never used black in my previous collections, I only used colours. Maybe I was tired of them already and decided to make something different and I majorly used black and white,” smiled Zainab. It was her interpretation of wedding looks. “When we imagine a bride (now), we think white.... I wanted to emphasise more on the silhouettes and layering... how the garment looked,” she said.
We liked the intermingling of whites. “I just love how white looks different when you do textured white... there are lots of shades of white and I wanted to see how it looked. It looks simple but when you look close, you see the details...,” said Zainab who was born and brought up in Dagestan and had also studied fashion there. Measure maybe five years old but a couple of years had just flown by in experimenting and finding the design language, felt Zainab.
There was a certain clarity of expression in the stark silhouettes, the dual play of the strength no-nonsense yet the charm of the delicate and hints of colour in a few pieces and accessories. We loved the movement and a sense of neat control in the looks. The minimal aesthetics emphasised upon Zainab’s uncluttered creativity. Crafted out of natural fabrics, they had an element of gender neutrality too.
The young designer, herself dressed in monochromes, said she found inspiration in Indian craftsmanship. Ode to Odd was a label she had on her mind when she was in Mumbai. “I have bought (from) Ode to Odd... they have beautiful floral embroidery that I like so much. Some days back I visited an exhibition of Indian textiles and handicrafts in Moscow. I knew that Indians are known for their art and craft, but when I saw it myself, I found it fascinating,” she smiled.
We say, go Zainab!