If it's the western silhouette you dig, here is an exhibition that is a must-visit. Bangalore-based designer Brinda Hayward is showcasing her all new western line in the City. A new designer on the couture block, Brinda has no formal degree in design but her understanding of a woman's comfort in apparel translates effectively into her design philosophy.
"I do not go by any season, style or trend. Comfort is the only criterion that matters to me. My collection is all about style with comfort," says the designer.
This is Brinda's first exhibition. On display are a wide array of tops flaunting the hot empire line. With black as the dominant hue, the tops with controlled bling will make for great evening wear. With a heavy accent on the retro era, there are some tops oozing feminine charm with polka dots, ribbon like tie-ups and floral prints on lush fabrics like satin. To bring out the little girl in you, try Brinda's collection of skirts. Primarily in knee-length, sporting mother of pearl and coin embellishment, her skirts in linen and satin look great. Each comes with it's own co-ordinated handbag, for the complete look.
If tunics are your style, Brinda has a huge variety. From pinks, beiges, browns, whites to blacks—the tunics come in an array of fabrics and neck styles. Also on the racks are jackets, dresses, Kimono style shirts, long skirts and shirt dresses, with minimal embellishment. Her collection is such that one can wear it for day and evening, based on what it's teamed with. While 70 per cent of her collection is targeted at women over 30, there is enough for girls aged 20 years and above too.
Western style
But why the accent on the western style? "One, that there is already enough Indian ethnic wear in the market. Second, I never found any good-looking western wear in India. Even the boutiques here did not impress me. So, I started getting my own fabrics, designing and getting it tailor made. And I always had people appreciating my dress sense. This is when I decided to create a label that will make only good western wear for women," replies Brinda, who's label Ayka, is derived from the names of her two children, Ayana and Cavin.
One look at her clothes and the controlled bling is something one cannot miss. Mother of Pearl runs through her collection. "I love mother of pearl. Given a chance, I would do it on each and every garment of mine. I love the shades and it looks stylish. I am not fond of bling. I believe subtle is classy. Moreover, the fit and the cut should do the talking," says Brinda, an admirer of ace designer Tarun Tahiliani, who's garments speak only of fit and draping.
Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Brinda began her couture journey one-and-a-half years ago in Bangalore. With no degree in design, Brinda faced some hitches initially. "I had great difficulty explaining the kind of fits and cuts to my karigars, as I cannot sketch. They knew that I had no design background and the result would be far away from what I had imagined. Then, I started explaining the karigars using my own clothes. I made them watch Fashion TV on a regular basis, to understand international design styles and silhouettes. They were shocked but it has helped us to communicate better today," laughs the petite designer.
Brinda's collection will be on display at Raintree, No 4 Sankey Road, High Grounds (Opp Windsor Manor) on August 31 and September 1, between 10 am to 7 pm.