Bibhu Mohapatra: As we sanguinely enter into the ’20s of this century, with hope and optimism, history is being made. The high governing power is entrusted with the task of leadership by women who are no longer nameless or invisible. These women are the modern-day muses and role models of our time. Historically, the artist and muse relationships varied from companions to studio muses to lovers. Whether it is the Harlem renaissance magic between A’Lelia Walker and Langston Hughes or the decades-long companionship of Gustave Klimt and Emily Flöge, the alliance was held strong. With the Fall ’21 collection, we celebrate these female muses and their influence on the works of many successful artists and writers.
BM: In the last ten months, it became clear to me that we needed to re-evaluate our journey. It became clear to me that we needed to re-acess our process and make some changes that will allow us to create more responsibly. We have decided to focus on our digital channels and e-commerce platforms. We also dug into our vast archive of 11 years with 2,500 designs and came up with a smaller but more focused and well-priced collection.
It was interesting to re-visit the pieces and up-cycle them, and creating a narrative that blends the new and old perfectly. By inculcating these practices, we hope to re-route the label’s journey towards a more mindful one. We aim for our clothes to last for a long time with a life span well beyond a season.
BM: I love the story-telling part on digital. What I am not-so-crazy about is digital, or simulated fashion shows. To me, fashions shows are about the energy in the room and that energy comes from the people in the room. Without an audience, a show is not a show.
