The young and very talented Sashikant Naidu showcased his collection at the Lakme India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2014. The theme was ‘Separe’ meaning separates in French. The collection which combined the traditional art of Kalamkari with contemporary silhouettes in the western garments and enhanced this beautiful art in all its glory in the Indian wear received a very positive response. And actress Shriya Saran walking the ramp for him only took the glam quotient up by several notches.
After a break of two years, designer Sashikant Naidu decided to participate at this year’s LIFW Autumn/Winter 2014. He describes his collection and his theme. “The theme of my label Sashikant Naidu is “separe”(meaning separates in French).It is a concept of ‘separates’ put together as a collection. The idea and focus behind this concept is making individual pieces that can be teamed with garments from the already existing wardrobe of every woman. Dresses, jackets, skirts, scarves, stoles, dupattas, lehengas,sarees and blouses is what ‘separe’ is all about. The fabrics I have used are silks, dupion, Fletcher, ikat and Khadi along with crepes,” he says.
“It is a combination of muted tones with brights, layered,textured (especially fine Khadi, to make it heavier and suitable for winter) and embellished with handmade accessories with fabric and tribal jewellery.
In a mix of tradition and contemporary, it’s a collection of hand painted ensembles wherein traditional hand painting technique with eco-friendly colors is widely used and contemporary in terms of style,design and silhouette . Adding an element of shimmer using hand embroidery, the motifs inspired by nature, the painting artist’s perception of life in tribal communities and the temple borders of South India is what the story of separates is all about.”
His label on the whole stands for clean cuts and subtlety which are the core elements of his brand making practical yet innovative clothing. It’s a label inspired by Indian culture, heritage, tribes and colours. A label known for using fabrics that are distinctive in terms of yarn, dye ,design and equally known for simple structured clothing with finish being the most important aspect.
Sashikant, besides working on his own label is also a design consultant for Kalam Creations and an Advisor for the Kalam Creations Artisan Society for the last five years. His forte is creating fusion between the traditional and the contemporary and working towards keeping the art of Kalamkari alive and inducing interest among the younger artisans to take it up as a full time profession.
