`A tale of two travels’ to be showcased at FTL New York Fashion Week

Bozzsouk caught up with designerArchana Kochhar for a quick chat about her collection for FTL New York Fashion Week. She is well-sought known for her glamorous looks, Indian & contemporary silhouettes, and craftsmanship not only in India but also in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Canada and many other cities around the world.

What is your collection for the FTL Fashion Week all about? What is the kind of garments it comprises?
My collection “A tale of two travels” is a mélange of two capsule collections inspired by my  travels to the villages of the colorful nomadic tribe Banjara and the other to the breathtaking Taj Mahal. Blending these two varied inspirations was an interesting challenge.
The silhouettes of both the collection comprise cold shoulder crop tops, caplets, flared bellbottoms, flared skirts, pencil skirts, high waist shorts, paper bag skirts, dhoti pants, structured gowns, keyhole gowns, flowy drapes, and jumpsuits.

The inspiration behind her new collection for NYFW runway.
The first collection is inspired by colorful and nomadic tribe Banjara. It is a part of the “Make in India” campaign initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Here I have worked with different sets of artisans from across India trying to revive and re-energize different art forms of India, some of which are dying. The translation of the collection is modern, keeping the essence of Banjara intact.
My second collection is inspired by the breathtaking Taj Mahal and the rich buoyant colors of the magnificent India. Taj Mahal being known as the epitome of love with its exquisiteness and elegance earned it the title of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Silhouettes, color palette & embroidery used for the NYFW Collection.
For Banjara collection, the color pallet is of ivory offset with colorful digitally printed motifs which are further highlighted with multi color thread work and mirror work.
The color palette of the second collection is a visualization of the ivory marbles of the TajMahal. Ivory plays as the dominant color and it is offset with bright vibrant colors.The collection is a foci of contemporary silhouettes fused with a glimpse of Indian conventional cuts to bring forward the concept of the east meets the west. The silhouettes comprise of Cold shoulder crop tops, caplets, flared bellbottoms, flared skirts, Pencil skirts, paper bag waist skirts, dhoti pants, structured gowns, keyhole gowns, flowy drapes and jumpsuits

The latest global trends of the collection.
The trends are cold/off shoulder cape, paper bag waist pants, caplets and bellbottoms are the watch out trends this season.

Details on the initiative “Bring Beauty Back”. The detail on your association with the acid attack victim Reshma Qureshi.
The initiative of “Bring Beauty Back” is about the inclusion of all forms of beauty. I believe beauty is not external, but rather what comes from within. Fashion weeks are platforms, which are considered as benchmarks for beauty. Hence it is imperative to promote the”Inclusion of all forms of beauty” concept such platforms to change the stereotypical thinking. It is a great pleasure to be working with someone like Ms. Qureshi who in her own way has been working extensively for a similar cause of supporting the survivors of acid attack victims.