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| Rahul Mishra: using fashion to express emotion |
If any show during Paris Fashion Week spoke of “love”, it had
to be that of Indian stylist Rahul Mishra.
His Fall/Winter 2016 ready-to-wear collection, with its
refined elegance and artistic looks, explicitly aimed to convey love from what he called the “magical hands of human beings” that weave and embroider clothing for others to
wear. But the words also came in the designer’s answers to questions about his
inspiration.
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| Designer Rahul Mishra |
“I wanted to share just love this season,” he said backstage,
after a show on March 5 that seemed to delight most of the audience. “The world is going
through such chaotic times with what happened in Paris last year, I really feel
like there should be no holding back to share love.”
Mishra made his work speak for him, too, as his collection
conveyed a kind of artistic integrity. There were no gimmicks, no
outlandish bids for attention – just exquisite cuts, timeless sophistication
and striking embroidery, amid the personal plea for peace.
“The world needs more compassion, love and freedom to heal
itself in the times we are living,” the designer added in his notes to the
collection, which quoted French writer Albert Camus and Persian poet Hafiz.
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| Mishra: blues for Paris |
The show started with boldly feminine blue-and-white combinations, eased into softer hues such as beige and bark-brown, and ended with stylish evening wear in a mix of textures.
The materials ranged from silk organza to leatherette and angora-cashmere, and some fabrics were tie-dyed according to traditional techniques, while others incorporated patterns drawn from porcelain and pottery.
The materials ranged from silk organza to leatherette and angora-cashmere, and some fabrics were tie-dyed according to traditional techniques, while others incorporated patterns drawn from porcelain and pottery.
“The predominant blue that comes from the porcelain ancestry
also symbolizes the spirit of Paris – the city of love, which bounced back with
its strong resilience and indomitable spirit,” Mishra said in the show’s notes,
referring again to the deadly attacks last November in the French capital.
At the end, the designer made sure that spectators had
something to reflect on, beyond fashion, with his quote from Camus : “In the
midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love … no matter how
hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger –
something better, pushing right back.” - Tasshon
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| Rahul Mishra: from the hands that weave. |
