Victorian Era with an Indian Twist at Asian Designer Week – 2019
Victorian era, a glamorous time period for rich Indian textiles. The fusion of these two far apart poles was the theme of our project this time. The challenge at hand was to bring to life, a garment which was set in the victorian era but fabricated in authentic Indian Textiles. It may seem like an easy thing, in theory, it did to us too, but when it came to practicality, this was the hardest thing about the project.
We began our quest with updating our knowledge on everything related to the victorian era fashion: the silhouettes, the fabrics, the colors, all design elements, accessorization, utility wear, etc. The Victorian era was a time of flowy, fluffy ball gown, of lacy parasols, of large, feathery hats, of elegance, of feminity. People of that era had dress codes for specific occasions, there were high societal expectations for women, and to fit those expectations women’s fashion was changed drastically.
Next came our research on Indian textiles, which was an eye-opening experience because we happen to neglect our beautiful collection of textiles every single day. Indian textiles are rich in culture, color, and history of their origins.
This collection was to be displayed at the Asian Designer Week 2019, so our deadlines were tight. I personally believe in practical learning, and taking on a challenge to stitch a garment to be displayed in a fashion show, was on my list for long. This time, I was able to successfully take that challenge head-on. After all the approvals in line, and the fabric ready at hand, I drafted patterns for my design with the help of my wonderful faculty always ready to help me. It took me around 4-5 days to completely perfect my garment, and another couple of days to complete my accessorization. I chose to make a parasol on my own as part of my accessorization, along with a waist belt and a ruffled necktie, which completed the whole look.
Our show was scheduled on 6th October 2019 at Hotel A Dot by GNH, ambiance island, Gurugram. We reached the venue around 1 pm the same day, with all our things ready for the show. After a few minor issues backstage, we were able to get our models ready for the display in time, which was a feat in itself, but also a nerve-wracking experience, because that entailed that the show was about to begin.
Our display went wonderfully well, without any mishaps, which made us all let out a breath we didn’t know we were all holding in.
To me, this whole project will always be dear to my heart, because it was an amazing concept, brought to reality by my own hard work, day and night, and I’ll forever cherish it as a student, and furthermore.
Abhilasha Sharma
3rd Semester, BBA FE (2018-2021)
