Pretty white and soothing pastels, designed with inspiration from the 17th to 19th century English style sensibilities define Ekru’s summer 2022 collection ‘Alice’. The collection featuring a mix of classic and contemporary ensembles is detailed with the style signatures of those eras, like linen neckline featuring thread embroidery, stomacher gowns, silver gilt thread, Rococo motifs of the court mantua and diaper quilting. Designed with a touch of classic elegance on easy-breezy silhouettes, the pieces make a classy addition to any summer wardrobe. Minimal make-up and fresh flowers add to the looks.The Ekru store’s picturesque corners add to the look and feel of each frame. Actress Susmita Chatterjee plays the muse and aces the looks wearing her signature charm...
The Telegraph summer chat with Susmita:
The word ‘summer’ evokes a happy, positive, hopeful feeling in our minds. What helps you to keep a positive and hopeful mind frame?
The morning sun rays and being myself. I try to live a carefree life. I try to spread my wings out in the open and feel the breeze which touches my body and makes me calm, gives me positivity, and shows me the hope and desire to live like a bird.
What is that one daily activity that makes you feel like experiencing ‘sunshine on your shoulders’?
Eating mangoes, watching sunsets with my favourite book in hand.
The Prem Tame actress cuts a classy frame in the ivory, embroidered organza jacket with surface ornamentation known as diaper quilting, inspired from the mid-18th century elegant English summer gowns. Detailed with thread embroidery and applique work of flowers and leaves, it is paired with a stylish linen drape.
What are the little pleasures of summer without which the season would be incomplete for you?
Pool-chill, mint coolers, carrying umbrella, going for vacays and taking shower five times a day!
You just came back from a summer vacay in the hills. What’s your favourite summer vacay memory so far?
I love hills and cold places. I went to Kedarnath and Badrinath with my parents when I was a kid. It was my first long summer vacay. I still remember things from that holiday clearly. That was the most special vacation I have had till date.
The silk chanderi pastel blue wrap-around dress is printed with Gregory floral motifs of 1744. The tie-up detailing and smocking on the sleeves make it an easy-breezy style statement.
How do you keep your diet healthy during summer?
I am a foodie, but in summer I try to eat boiled food, lots and lots of water, fruits and veggies, otherwise it becomes difficult to work in the heat.
How do you take care of your skin and hair during this season?
I use organic products to keep my skin and hair healthy.
The blush-pink skirt-and-top outfit in a combination of organza and silk chanderi fabric is designed with a mix of panel-cut organza and bias-cut silk chanderi for the skirt, detailed with a pattern of embroidered scallop border attached to it. It is paired with a ruffle and embroidery-detailed top.
What dominates your summer wardrobe?
Floral dresses, shorts, oversized shirts, loose-fitted denims…
Is there a best and worst part of shooting films during summer?
Absolutely! The best part of shooting during summer is that we get long hours of daylight and the worst part is the heat, which sometimes becomes terrible and unbearable.
The summer-favourite relaxed-fit jumpsuit is styled with a noil batwing sleeve, designed with floral cutwork embroidery, inspired by the 17th century obsession of fashionable linen work on necklines. The English Rococo-style embroidery on the yoke, inspired from silk mantuas, is designed with the 18th century Guipure technique using the intermingling of gold metal and fibre embroidery threads to create floral and leaf patterns.
What are the films you are working on now and what’s waiting next?
God has been kind. Right now I am shooting with Jeetda for Chengiz. I just completed shooting Kacher Manush with Bumbada (Prosenjit) and Devda. A few more projects are lined up already, let’s hope for the best.
Who is that one director on your wish list whom you want to work with?
Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Styling:Anupam Chatterjee;
Make-up: Abhijit Paul
Hair: Sananda Mondal Laha
Location: Ekru store, Bhowanipore
It is true that the past informs the present. The 19th century Victorian era has been a treasure for inspiration through its literature and rich heritage of textiles and garments. Our collection Alice derives its inspiration from Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland, written during this period. The story resembles our present times, where in the last couple of years each one of us has metaphorically experienced what falling down the rabbit hole feels like. Like Alice, we dealt with the pack of cards and followed the white rabbit till we came out victorious on the other side. The collection captures the essence of stylish garment, inspired from the high fashion during the Victorian era to the minimalism of the mid-18th century white-work and the flamboyant excess of high baroque floral silks
Ruchira Kandhari (left) and Ekta Kandhari, designers
STYLIST SPEAK
For me, summer is all about being comfortable, and I always prefer white. There was a lot of silhouette variation, it will give a fair idea to the viewers about the kind of silhouettes they should wear in summer. A lot of tunic dresses, draped dresses. For me, it is about pastels, subtle and muted tones
Anupam Chatterjee, stylist
HAIR AND MAKE-UP NOTES
