This February, Indian designer Payal Khandwala visited Paris to attend Premiére Vision (the global business hub for fashion professionals on the look out for cutting edge fabrics). The exhibition hosts a mélange of yarns, fabrics, leather and accessories. This year the chosen themes for SS ’17 were knitwear solutions, Maison d’Exceptions (a space reserved for ultimate creativity), denim and shoes.
Her eponymous label reflects her attention to detail and curiosity for exploring fabrics and production methods in unconventional ways. So it’s not surprising to find her leaning towards pleated leather innovations. Here Khandwala captures the essence of Paris through her own, unique lens:
1. Paris is home for a week! Rented a beautiful little apartment in the heart of Le Marais, on rue Michel–le–Comte; walking distance from the best pastry shop ever – Pain de Sucre.
2. In a sea of leather, endless colours and finishes at Premiere Vision! Hall no 3 was a feast for the eyes. And the Italians really know their leather.
3. Pleated leather! More innovation in leather at Premiere Vision, who would have thought you could pleat leather and in an array of colours and across each pleat?
4. Accessories and components at hall no 5 at Premiere Vision. Surrounded by every button, ribbon and trim you can imagine! Laces, clasps, elastic, tape, cord you name it and it could be found in hundreds. I was like a kid in a candy store.
5. Stumbled by a quaint little florist, dressing the already romantic streets of Paris. It’s Valentine’s Day, notice how even the cacti in Paris are heart shaped!
6.The Egyptians also knew their sciences. A perfectly preserved mummy at the Louvre with a gorgeous and intricately patterned wrap. As much care and precision for the living as well as for the dead!
7. Portraits of Frenchmen in The Parliament by Honore Daumier (French painter, sculptor and caricaturist). My favourite exhibit at the Musee d’Orsay. Little gems in unbaked clay.
8. Just behind the Nelson Mandela gardens on a cold and clear Paris morning. Must be nice to conduct business in a majestic building like Bourse de Commerce.
9. Goodbye Paris! A chilly wet evening taxi ride to the airport. Still makes a pretty picture. But a warm and dry Bombay is only a flight away…can’t wait to come home to a life without coats and open toed sandals!
