2019-09-24 Femina

fashion concepts that essentially dictate

what people wear today,” he said in a recent

conversation with us. Whether it’s in terms of

hiring models and artisans, or looking at distribution

channels—designers are leaving no stone unturned in

going all out to challenge conventional norms. Some

of them are not only challenging the status quo but also

giving rise to new movements that celebrate every

individual and their life choices.

INCLUSIVITY ON THE RADAR

The models covered in glossies are considered the

epitome of beauty, and knowingly or unknowingly,

consumers try to mimic them. However, abiding

by one beauty standard is unrealistic because people

come in different shapes, sizes, and genetics.

“I feel the commercial needs of the ruthless

industry that we work in have used fear, insecurities,

FASHION conversation

I

n 2001, when the fashion world

was still in awe of waif-like models

sashaying down ramps, avant-garde

designer Alexander McQueen chose

to deviate from the path. During the

finale of his independent Spring/Summer

show, Voss, he displayed a glass box at the

centre of a room, which broke open to reveal a full-

figured nude model sitting on a chair with her

face covered with a mask, breathing through

tubes attached to her mouth.

McQueen had always sought

to shatter the notions of what

the society termed ‘normal’,

since it can be harsh on people

who do not check the right

boxes. “I think there is beauty

in everything. What normal people

perceive as ugly, I can usually see

something of beauty in it (sic).”

These words by the late designer

are relevant now more than ever as business

for major conglomerates is being driven

by incorporating inclusivity and equal

opportunity clauses.

Closer home, designer Dhruv Kapur of label

DRVV rebelled against the rules of dressing for

women via his collection—Undress Code—at the

Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Summer/Resort 2015.

While incorporating styles like deconstruction

of garments to create new fashion statements, Kapur

focused on the freedom of expression through clothes.

“A combination of genderless, body positivity,

streetwear, and nineties’ nostalgia are some

of the factors that contributed to the rise

of unconventional fashion. Fortunately, I’ve been part

of the change and led the move towards many of the

“A COMBINATION OF BODY

POSITIVITY, STREETWEAR,

ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS

THAT LED TO THE SHIFT.”

Shruti Shende talks

to designers who have not

only dared to, but also

succeeded in challenging and

changing conventional fashion

and beauty norms

(Clockwise) Designer

Dhruv Kapur and a model

wearing his designs

BREAKING

BAD

fashio

what p

conversatio

hiring models a

channels—design

going all out to ch

of them are not on

giving rise to new

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INCLUSI

The models c

epitome of b

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come in diffe

“I feel the

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/Summer

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ple

e

as business

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Kapur of label

of dressing for

ess Code—at the

mmer/Resort 2015.

econstruction

n statements, Kapur

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, body positivity,

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unately, I’ve been part

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“A COM

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onconcepts that essentially dictate

eople wear today,” he said in a recent

onwith us. Whether it’s in terms of

andartisans, or looking at distribution

nersare leaving no stone unturned in

hallenge conventional norms. Some

nlychallenging the status quo but also

w movements that celebrate every

theirlife choices.

IVITY ON THE RADAR

covered in glossies are considered the

beauty, and knowingly or unknowingly,

tryto mimic them. However, abiding

ty standard is unrealistic because people

erent shapes, sizes, and genetics.

e commercial needs of the ruthless

t wework in have used fear, insecurities,

FASHIONconversation

I

n 2001,whenthefashionworld

wasstillinaweofwaif-likemodels

sashayingdownramps,avant-garde

designerAlexanderMcQueenchose

todeviatefromthepath.Duringthe

finaleofhisindependentSpring/S

show,Voss,hedisplayeda glassb

centreofa room,whichbrokeop

figurednudemodelsittingona c

facecoveredwitha mask,breath

tubesattachedtohermouth.

McQueenhadalwayssought

toshatterthenotionsofwhat

the society termed ‘normal’,

since it can be harsh on people

who do not check the right

boxes. “I think there is beauty

in everything. What normalpeop

perceive as ugly, I can usuallysee

something of beauty in it (sic).”

These words by the late designer

are relevant now more thanever

for major conglomerates is being

by incorporating inclusivity ande

opportunity clauses.

Closer home, designer Dhruv

DRVV rebelled against the ruleso

women via his collection—Undr

Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW)Sum

While incorporating styles likede

of garments to create new fashion

focused on the freedom of expres

“A combination of genderless,

streetwear, and nineties’ nostalgi

of the factors that contributedto

of unconventional fashion. Fortu

of the change and led the movet

MBINATION OF BODY

VITY, STREETWEAR,

MEOF THE FACTORS

EDTO THE SHIFT.”

ShrutiShendetalks

todesignerswhohavenot

onlydaredto,butalso

succeededinchallengingand

changingconventionalfashion

andbeautynorms

(Clockwise) Designer

Dhruv Kapur and a model

wearing his designs

BREAKING

BAD

fashio

whatp

conversatio

hiringmodelsa

channels—design

goingallouttoch

ofthemarenoton

givingrisetonew

individualandt

INCLUSI

The modelsc

epitomeofb

consumerst

by onebeaut

comeindiffe

“I feelthe

industrythat

Summer

boxatthe

pentorevealafull-

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ing through

ple

e

asbusiness

gdriven

equal

Kapuroflabel

of dressingfor

essCode—atthe

mmer/Resort2015.

econstruction

nstatements,Kapur

ssionthroughclothes.

,bodypositivity,

aaresome

therise

unately,I’vebeenpart

owards manyof the

“A COM

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ARESO

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