October 9, 2014 Asmita Aggarwal

Geisha Goes Goth

Paras and Shalini break the ‘pretty’ mould and pursue edginess with a bit of Goth

 By Asmita Aggarwal

In a journey that began in 2001, with a name inspired by Arthur Golden’s book Memoirs of a Geisha, Shalini and Paras identified with the arduous trek of the protagonist Chiyo Sakamoto, who came from a small town hoping to create an identity for herself in the big city, hence the name of the label was coined—-Geisha Designs.

364A9066 - retouched by Lulie Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini

The idea was not to offer clothes that they wore or idolised, but ensembles which embodied myriad techniques from draping, pattern cutting, texturisation to a strong focus on colours and ornamentation. “Earlier we were making co-ordinated clothes, and selling quite well in the Middle East,” explains Paras. With global exposure and also the market expanding, their travels to Paris Fashion Week, Who’s Next? And Coterie, New York, altered their design landscape. “Two years back we changed the way we were doing business and offered separates, to give value for money and also a wider choice,” explains Paras.  Maybe that’s why from four now they employ almost 250 workers and have made a decision to go younger in their ideology.

364A8138 - retouched by Lulie Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini

A SS15 campaign shot in the Parvati Valley, Geisha Designs have travelled back in time to the 50s and 60s, courting volume, sheer and texturing. With extensive use of laser, they have managed to create some stunning effects of burning holes in fabrics ranging from taffeta to jersey in a palette that displays its love for ivories, apple green to lemon yellows and peaches. “More than embroideries or embellishments, we try and use fabric on fabric, so appliqué has been a mainstay, along with botanical motifs, prints which appear like pressed flowers (as if you have kept them in your favourite read),” he explains.

Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini

Geisha Designs has always been a pretty label, with an Alice in Wonderland feel to it, but this summer it is taking a Gothic turn with black ribbons fastened on to ballerinas giving them a gladiator feel, fossil prints to show decay, neck tie ups and faux leather crafted into pendants. “We get pleasure out of coming up with something new each season, which is often a perceptible change from the past. Our purpose remains exploration, and we use man made fabrics, which give us the freedom to sculpt on the body,” concludes Paras.

 

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