Doing a little more with fashion

Swati Rai

Much before ready-to-wear western wear brands swarmed the Indian fashion market, there was this dapper designer pair of Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna that offered fashionable prêt menswear. Two scores into their journey and women’s wear is well taken over too.

The creative partnership between the duo is a success story dotted with awards and accolades like best prêt collection for men and women, designers of the year title and honours like their creations being displayed at Selfridges and showcased at Tranoi in Paris and New York.

Keep it going!

Ask them the natural question of fashion fatigue setting in and a vehement ‘no’ pops out. “We’re never fashion fatigued! We live and breathe fashion! Each season is a new beginning and brings with it a new set of challenges. So, it is always exciting to create something new and current.” So do personal branding and aesthetics creep into their creations? “Personal style doesn’t necessarily have to be stamped on one’s garments, but having a clear sensibility is integral as it then translates into your designs and brand DNA. Ours is a mixture of architecture with fine tailoring and it’s always a little edgy!” share the designers.

Two decades of design

To mark the 20th year in fashion, the designers recently launched a collection that echoes their design philosophy from over the years. Frosted silks, fine-grained tulles and crisp organzas help bring metallic hues and crystalline blues to life.

Handcrafted techniques that amplify and highlight each detail of the garment have been used in the form of appliqué work, laser cut work and hand beading.

Defying stereotype

The duo’s latest collection, An Evening of Reflections, is extremely close to its heart. “It marks a big milestone in our career. We are thrilled to gain the support of friends and family throughout this journey. We have seen fashion grow and are proud to have contributed to the industry. We have used techniques, silhouettes and designs that together create a perfect combination of mystery and glamour. It is a great feeling to see this collection come alive in such a mesmerising way.” Anti-stereotypical clothes with a play on varied textures and engineered designing precision is the hallmark of the designers. Classic cuts, inspired from contemporary art and timeless elegance are the usual adjectives associated with the designers. While they swear by black, favourite for this season would be glistening metallic silver, they say. 

The inspiration

Acknowledged as designers who lay great emphasis on silhouettes and detailing, the two draw inspiration from linear structures, geometrical lines and are greatly influenced by modern contemporary art. They also specialise in bespoke men’s couture with precision fit for modern men. Rohit and Rahul believe in curating garments that are timeless and elegant. They believe in their own potential to change people’s lives.

In the ever-changing and challenging fashionscape, has the trend of marketing a ‘look’ changed over the years, especially with the invasion of social media into the entire scene? “We have a large presence on social media, especially Instagram. We love connecting with people and advising them on what works best on a particular day or for an occasion. They also appreciate their favourite celebs wearing our garments and love to purchase similar outfits.”

Talk of future

The designers deliberate on their mantra of being original in today’s hyper-connected world. “In today’s day and age, it’s definitely difficult but possible to be unique and distinct. One has to keep in mind one’s own sensibility rather than conforming to trends and forecasts. We used to be extremely disappointed when a design of ours was copied. But, with time we’ve learnt to take it as a complement to our aesthetics.” Taking us through a future head space, the designers say there’s a lot of innovation and creativity to follow in the near future. “We have already diversified into accessories. We have velvet loafers for men along with quirky pocket squares. For women, we have a collection of edgy clutches. With our latest collection, we are also venturing into jewellery.” Future sure doesn’t appear monochromatic for this vibrant duo, and is definitely bright and psychedelic.