would love to be reborn in
the 60’s or 70’s. It was such a
great time for art and fashion—
there was a sense of freedom
of expression, a time full
of original ideas, gentle revolt, and
so much free spirited style!” muses
designer Payal Khandwala. And with
obvious love and passion for everything
creative, her infectious energy was
contagious on this balmy Mumbai
day at the BAZAAR BRIDE set.
Fawning time and again about her
own wedding—much to the crew’s
delight—Khandwala is a natural when
it comes to a neo-interpretation of bridal wear, and revamping the true
meaning of a ‘key piece’ which has now become her elegant forte. “It’s
not really a strategy. I like my clothes to be strong and stylish but always
sensible. I also like my wardrobe to be versatile; so I like my staples to
give me more options if styled diferently,” she elaborates. The results
of course mean looks that can be personally deined by the wearer.
“This way, I might wear a beautifully tailored asymmetrical shirt with
palazzos, another might wear it with jeans, but a third can wear it with
her lehenga. It is used to maximise her personality.”
Going back to where it started, Khandwala’s tryst with art goes a long
way back. Professing to us that it is imbibed in her DNA, she carved
her path along a painting career for 10 years having studied ine arts at
Parsons, New York. She explains, “My mother painted and sewed my
clothes, and my grandmother painted and sewed my mum’s clothes!
So I am a third generation product hard-wired in a way to do both.”
Point in case, and having decided to venture into design, the artistry
translates into her clothes in an intangible way. And even though some
may say that it is indeed a blurred line between the two, Khandwala
sportingly embraces the dual journey. “I am just luckier than my mother
and grandmother to be able to make a living doing what I love across
both disciplines,” she chuckles.
The designer who thinks it’s blasphemy to choose between Marko
Rothko and Egon Schiele, and who favours abstract expressionism
above all else reiterates the philosophy in her own ensembles. “It
doesn’t confuse you with conceptual jargon because what you see
is what you get.” And shedding all pretenses of banal conceptual
theories, she stresses that inspiration is an organic adventure. Her
daughter’s homework included.
“I love silks. They are luxurious and so versatile. They can be matt,
have sheen, have texture, be heavy, light, and have great drape. Plus
they dye intensely, so it helps me control my palette better,” comes
Khandwala’s reply when asked about her favourite fabric. Then havingbrushed upon rooted traditions
of textiles, weaves, prints, and
textures—all within luid workable
silhouettes—she stresses about only
creating that, which is relevant to
her. “I don’t really like to make
distinctions between what I think
is old or what I think is new. We
are in India and to me, not using
our traditional techniques would
be a pity. I use artisanal details—
whether its block printing, screen
printing, or handwoven textiles—
without taking away the garment’s
practicality and its ease of wear.
And I want things to be luxurious and dramatic but also simple
and sensible,” she explains. So does this mean that bridal wear need
not be OTT as some may like to vouch for?—“I would hope not.”
comes her prompt reply. “This is the day for her personality to shine,
not her outit.” And on the same note, she advises brides-to-be to
be comfortable. “So that you can be footloose and fancy free on
your big day,” she smiles.
This mix of nonchalant appreciation for satisfying her own creative
streak, and coming across as someone who would refuse to hide
behind farces made for an eclectic and harmonising match with
actor Kalki Koechlin. “I think it’s a part of her charm,” Khandwala
explains adding, “She’s easy going, funny, and doesn’t take herself too
seriously. I love that about her. It is also important to note however
that she’s also a strong independent girl and iercely talented.” And
we cannot help but nod in agreement when she brings up the fact
that her style is an extension of her personality. “It’s luid. She seems
to go with her mood of the day. She likes to keep it simple.”
Talking about simplicity, comfort trumps everything else for
Khandwala who wore a vintage Banarasi lehenga for her own wedding.
“I matched it with another old brocade textile that I had collected
which became the blouse, teamed it with a Banarasi dupatta. They
were all handwoven with real gold thread. They were exquisite in
their detail and design, luxurious yet lightweight and comfortable,”
she adds. And for someone who without second thoughts would
love to be her own vintage silver necklace (from her wedding), so
that she can attend her own wedding—when asked about her ‘bauble
personality’—Khandwala nurtures everything with surprising ease. “I
want to be able to it in my car and lean on the backseat once I am
dressed. I don’t have a carriage that takes me to the ball and I don’t
want to pretend to be a princess. To me this is truly modern, because
today’s woman isn’t sitting around waiting for her prince. She has to
drive to the ball if she decides to go!” Hear hear Ms Khandwala.■The
STYLE