Lighter and easier is the new couture cool and Anju Modi plays front foot and not defensive in the quest for true liberation!
By Asmita Aggarwal
It is only the brave who can move away from a successful model and try something that hasn’t been tested and Anju Modi is one such samurai. She is not just a torchbearer for women empowerment, being a single mom, but her collections have been embodiment of “shakti”, a recurring theme in her showcasing over the years.
So when she moves from Devi to Victorian you may wonder, “What was she thinking?” But she thought this through and that comes across as she abandons her reds and adopts pastels as well as pleasing vintage greens creating a Victorian mansion complete with classical Western music of the era— Beethoven to Mozart’s everlasting symphonies.
This not succumbing to tradition reflects in her choice of showstoppers as well, Kangana Ranaut is the new poster girl of feminism with her taking on powerful Bollywood lobbies, taking about gender identity and equal pay.
This kind of resonates with what the brand stands for— courage conquering fear.
“The demand has changed so the supply must follow, we as designers are artists, but anything you design must have commercial relevance. Kangana is really someone, who has revolutionised the system challenging patriarchy and societal norms, she makes the ideal muse,” says Anju.
The style guru, who has been a favourite of Sanjay Leela Bhansali has undoubtedly always courted a historical context with a strong focus on culture. This ICW 2018, she is wooing a lighter palette and airy ensembles, so you can slip it on, minus all that layering, gotta borders and heaviness. “Luxury doesn’t mean what money screams, rather it inevitably whispers and as women desire comfort, we don’t need to make big gowns to make a lasting impression,” she admits.
Dressing, for her, is celebration–based and most designers are looking at it from the view of designing for not the bride but women who go for their friend or cousin’s wedding. Outfits are now edited with a play on organza and laces along with tulle, velvets and silks. Most of the embroideries are 3 D, even if it is an old world charm, highlighting resham and zardosi, of course hand done to near perfection. “To understand couture, you have to get into the mind and soul of it. You don’t need to fill an outfit up with embroidered flowers to make it work,” says Anju, who forayed films to push the envelope and not for fame or money and to be in touch with deeper nuances of the design sphere, hoping to go back in time.
As a designer she believes you have to break the set mould, step forward as this leads to more learning and dynamism. “This was my way of breaking free from my comfort zone,” she concludes.