The last time I met designer Priyadarshini Rao, three years ago, her collection was all about bright colours and block prints. This time, her colour palette is more muted: tunics, dresses and shirts in indigos, bottle greens, madders and mustard yellows. All done in flowy drapes that are elegant yet wearable.
“I guess you could say that’s how I’ve metamorphosed. That’s the advantage of being in the creative field; your personality and mood in your creation,” she smiles, between checking how a dress fits a client, as she showcased her latest Spring Summer line at the Collage in Chennai.
“My latest collection speaks to the woman traveller. We travel a lot more today; for work, pleasure and fitness. This collection allows women to travel while keeping their individuality intact; it has a more global feel to it and works great whether you are travelling to a cold country or to a warmer place like ours,” she says, adding, “It reflects various influences from my travels — drapes from Tokyo, linens from Greece, prints from Russia. It’s an amalgamation of travel, cultures and lifestyles.”
A firm believer in the policy that everything must go back to the earth, Rao prefers using fabrics that are natural and biodegradable. “Sustainability is a big part of my designs. Right from the fabric to the materials to our dyeing techniques, everything is bio-friendly and natural, but without compromising on style. So you won’t see too much khadi or handloom in my collections, although they will be used in parts.”
Yet, there’s a certain fluidity to her drapes this time round. “That’s because I’ve created my own line of fabrics for the collection, using the new LIVA material; it is the base ingredient this time. This is basically regenerated cellulose and cotton and can be mixed with various fabrics. So I’ve created different looks with it; and it’s a fabric I might use again and again, given how fluid it is. It makes my garments very easy to carry off. For instance, there’s a shirt with a high low hemline, that is made using Tussar Chanderi with LIVA, that can be used just as easily for a formal event, as it can be for a casual outing,” she says.
While Rao’s designs are contemporary, they don’t necessarily stick to what’s “in trend”. “My clothes are for the women who understand their personalities, who are comfortable in their own skin and know just what look they’d like. So these are clothes that they will enjoy wearing and yet feel sexy in them while allowing them to multitask,” she says.
At a time when most designers have a large online presence, Rao prefers keeping a low profile. Having spent over two decades in the industry, Rao doesn’t believe in selling online. “My clothes must be tried and experienced before being bought. Also, I’d rather interact with my clients in person, see how my clothes fit them and give them my suggestions. I’ve specifically not grown my business beyond a point. Instead, we have our other brand Mineral, which is more high street and affordable. Both lines are different and I put on distinctly different hats while designing for them.”
Given her career spanning over two decades, she says a lot has changed over the years. “Back then, we’d pack our clothes in suitcases and take them to stores. They’d take a look at them and agree to stock them. If it was sold, we’d make money, else the designs would be returned to us. It was that simple. Today, when I go to give guest lectures at design schools, the questions students ask aren’t about how to make clothes or to achieve a certain look. It’s all about how to get into the fashion week and how to set up their own stores. The simplicity of the trade is lost,” she says, adding that nevertheless each season holds exciting prospects. “I guess I enjoy the whole process of creating, and will continue as long as I do so.”