Indian runway may be dominated by women clothing but it is men designers who are still leading in the fashion arena, but if Anita Dongre is to be believed, the future is bright for female couturiers.
Dongre, who has emerged as one of the most popular designers in the country in recent years, says women are now becoming proactive in establishing their labels.
"It's sad that number of women designers is so less. We don't have many popular labels being handled by women. But I feel in the younger lot of fashion designers the number of women is significantly increasing.
"I hope women designers will soon lead Indian fashion scene. And I can see a lot of labels headed by women coming up in the next decade or so. India is changing. Today's young women are very career-oriented, which was not the case two decades ago," Dongre told PTI in an interview on the sidelines of Vogue Wedding Show 2018.
Her luxury label 'Anita Dongre' is not only popular in India but is also wooing the fashionistas in the West.
The 54-year-old designer, who has a store in New York, says the love and admiration people have for Indian craftsmanship abroad has made her label popular.
"People in the West connect with my collection because of the motifs and the designs. I believe, ultimately it is all about designs. People in West love Indian craftsmanship and detailing.
"We have a store in New York and I have had the first hand experience of their love for our textiles. India is one of the few countries where hand-crafted work still survives."
The latest range to make way to her stores across the globe is her Winter/Festive collection 'Odyssey'. Dongre has once again travelled to her favourite destination, Rajasthan, for the new line which is inspired by the wilderness of Ranthambore.
"We have taken a lot of animal and bird motifs. Lot of flaura-fauna with new techniques of embroidery with gotta. We always look for new way of incorporating gotta in our clothes. There is fresh lot of bright colours.
"Every time, I am inspired by Rajasthan and I am able to do something new. This is the beauty of the state. Everything there is so interesting that it motivates me to keep representing the craft in new light," she says.
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