Ace designer Rahul Mishra has always narrated the story of nature through his couture. As a designer who has believed in designing for a cause, Mishra took us on a philosophical journey of life and growth for his Spring Summer 2021 collection titled The Dawn, which was unveiled at Paris Fashion Week virtually.
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Ditching his signature florals, the designer borrowed inspiration from the growth of mushrooms that take place naturally in the environment without any external nourishment. “The Dawn contemplates the state of environmental damage and imagines the world that shall live beyond the interference of the human species. It emerges from an intensified realisation during the lockdown that humans may not have to save the planet, but themselves. The planet perhaps shall survive regardless and the human species may succumb to their weakness,” said Mishra.
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The fashion film brought about a sense of calm to the viewer with its garments, music and choice of colours, making it a visual treat. Shot at the stunning Kishangarh Marble Dumyard in Rajashthan, the location symbolised the impact of mankind on the environment and the colourful garments donned by the models (who posed as nature) brought the colourless background to life.
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Hand embroidered on tulle and silk organza, 3D exotic mushroom forms were individually engineered through a unique pattern-making process along with hand embroidery techniques, which created fall and movement in the shape-shifting silhouettes. Talking to ELLE about the process, the designer shared, “Extensive research and experimentation were put into the development of initial samples for this collection. Alongside traditional craft techniques of thread embroidery, several novel techniques were innovated so as to facilitate the overall design of the garment. The process of their determination was rather circular with several steps being jumped in the series, only to be revisited again. For instances where the embroidery defines the silhouette of the piece – its weight, fall and look lead the way for the surface applications. While this contemporary approach to inventive, mix-media embroidery has been part of our brand universe for several seasons now, it truly found an elevated platform with ‘The Dawn’.”
With the pieces in his collection, Mishra poses the simple question, “Do we wish to continue witnessing the marvels of nature present to us on this planet? Because we may be required to dig within ourselves for wisdom and realise the change.”
Swipe through for a glimpse of Rahul Mishra’s Couture 2021 collection:
