Nature-inspired designing is a recurrent theme in the global fashion industry but it is a designer’s perspective that gives a new dimension to this theme every time we see the inspiration translate into a design narrative. Seeking inspiration from nature is not new to designer Abhishek Dutta’s body of work. However, the intricacy and harmony he rendered to the placement of monotonous patterns in his new Fall-Winter ‘23 collection, Sierra, is what makes it stand out from the rest of his nature-inspired design narratives so far.
“Fall-Winter 2023 collection is about raising awareness of the critical issue of global warming and its impact on snow peak mountains and glaciers. The collection is inspired by the breathtaking beauty of landscapes and the alarming reality of their rapid disappearance,” said Abhishek. Making it visually appealing, the thought-provoking collection is a pastiche of art, fashion and sustainability, narrating a tale of ‘eco-consciousness’ — a term that the fashion world is gradually embracing.
“This couture collection features hand-woven fabrics with a mix of Merino wool, heavy linen, cotton, and soft satin. Structured jackets with fluid draping form the significant element of this collection. Intricate and interesting textures done with 3D embroidery, threadwork, aari work, French knot techniques, and sequin work define this collection, which has taken almost three months to create,” said Abhishek. The brand’s signature Westerns along with edgy Indo-westerns comprise the collection with silhouettes like pantsuits, corsets, jumpsuits, jackets, dresses, capes, drapes and bandhgalas.
Talking further about the design detailing, Abhishek said: “The prints and structures are inspired by uncut natural mountain peaks, snow, glaciers, and stalagmites. It features our signature asymmetrical design. This collection is a perfect blend of ruggedness and sophistication, designed for those who love exploring nature in style and comfort,” said Abhishek. The Telegraph gets a preview of the collection, with this exclusive shoot at Purulia, ahead of the show that will unveil the collection on September 2 at Bishnu Bijoli Garden, behind Urbana Complex.
The black-and-white shades on the rock aligns well with the colours on the outfit. Neeraj looks dapper in the asymmetric zippered bandhgala, designed with hair-on leather appliques resembling the mountain range, teamed with slim-fit black pants. Priyanka’s embroidered zippered crop top depicting a similar design detailing gives a smart structured look with the shoulder design and side ruffles on the threadembroidered leather pants.
Smart silhouettes and the rugged rocky terrain make the outfits stand out in this frame. Highlighting the laborious handembroidery work, Priyanka flaunts a backless dress with leather ruffles and cutout detailing, while Swagata effuses confident vibes in the leather jacket dress detailed with threadwork and sequin detailing, accessorised with an embroideredbelt and made comfortable with a bodysuit inside.
The harmoniously aligned design patterns, the colour combination of black, white and beige, the brand’s signature leather patches and the structured silhouettes on Neeraj and Swagata give cues for making the upcoming autumn-winter smarter and more stylish. Neeraj in a hand-embroidered zippered bandhgala and Swagata in a cutaway embroidered lapel jacket detailed with hair-on leather applique and cutwork sleeves teamed with high-waisted pants.
Priyanka in an edgy tan leather jacket with threadwork detailing and sequinned lapel. It is teamed with an embroidered cutwork designed fitted bodycon dress.
Swagata in the exquisite handembroidered long jacket dress, designed with exaggerated shoulder caps and French knot detailing and sheer sleeves, posed against the peacock, which flew in from the jungle and made the resort its permanent home, perched on the resort gate.
A simple leather jacket is often a standout fall-winter look. Neeraj dons a black intricately embroidered jacket, with leather sleeves and French Knot detailing on the lapel.
With its diverse topography, Purulia was Abhishek’s choice of location for this natureinspired collection. The scenic natural oasis of Purulia, Marble Lake, with its diverse natural colour palette, was our chosen spot for the first sequence of clothes. The greens, black-andwhite, greys and yellow of the land and water created a naturally kaleidoscopic backdrop that complemented the colour palette of the first sequence.
While the greens, black-and-white and greys stood out against the medley of colours at Marble Lake, the lush greens of the Eco Adventure Resort at Khairabera worked as the perfect backdrop for the second sequence of black-and-white, grey, beige and tan palette.
“Keeping in mind the location used as backdrop and the outfit styles, we played around with a darker colour palette for make-up. To complement the looks, we styled the hair with wet looks, mohawk, pleats and textures,” said Bhaskar Biswas.
Hair and make-up: Bhaskar Biswas
Location: Eco Adventure Resort, Khairabera and Marble Lake in Purulia