The world of fashion is constantly in news at the regional, national and international levels for various reasons because it peoples energetic, enthusiastic, creative and focused designers who have an urge to experiment and arrive at a design which can sweep the world off its feet. This time around, two young designers from “Namma Bengaluru,” Roopa and Kanick have been shortlisted to showcase their talents in designing at the prestigious  Lakme Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 08) to be held in Mumbai during the second week of October.

The duo, are very excited about participating in the Gen Next category and are burning the midnight oil  giving finishing touches to their collection before they will be displayed on the big day.

A chat with them revealed that the journey to the big platform began a year ago when they decided to create an exclusive brand called Haldi, through which they hoped to pay an earthy and earnest homage to the contemporary “Woman”- the one who is one with the world, one with nature and one with herself even as she is many in her facets.

True beauty

Their agenda is to elicit the true beauty and spirit of the woman who wears their clothes which have derived their inspiration from nature.  A visit to their workshop revealed that they have a very simple, no-nonsense approach towards creating designs. They work with breathable and light fabrics like chiffon, georgette, cotton and silk cotton. Their work begins from scratch from buying swathes of fabric in white and dyeing it in a shade according to the requirement and then printing designs inspired from the nature around us. The colours and fabrics are mixed and matched according to their imagination. A workforce of twenty talented people who are adept at cutting, stitching, embroidery and sequin work help them to see their dreams come true. The resultant outfits are very trendy, colourful and imaginative all set to move into the wardrobe of the discerning ladies.

Though the name Haldi, resonates traditional tones, if one expects to see a collection of conventional Indian clothing for women then one is likely to be surprised for Haldi houses an assorted array skirts, dresses, tunics, tops in Indo-Western silhouettes for the modern Indian woman. Kanick and Roopa have apparently answered infinite number of questions regarding their choice of a traditional name like Haldi for their collections which is in total contrast to what they create.

No regional signs

The creators of Haldi enjoy their clients’ reactions when they walk in for the first time, hoping to see predictable clothing construing to the name and then finding ready to wear modern outfits that will suit any occasion. Kanick points out the tweak in the expectations of the customer are generally their first step towards success. With Haldi, they aim at wiping out regional signs from our dressing so that women can identify themselves as competent individuals, and mingle freely at the global level without their antecedents badgering their interests- whatever they may be. This passionate mission has been given shape in their collection called Unpatriotica in which they have made “clothes without borders”—clothes suitable for any woman for any occasion anywhere in the world.

The twosome are very practical and realistic in their approach which is highlighted in the fact that while they want to retain their umbilical cord with the earth with respect to their designs the fabrics could be made of natural or synthetic fibers, they do not mind using synthetic dyes or screen printing or utilizing technology for realising the end product of their dreams. Traditional Indian embroidery, bead work and sequin work find a place in their clothes just as much as pin-tuck work or shadow works. It appears that they are willing to employ any art and technique that is beautiful and feasible in their clothes as long as they turn out wonderfully.

Pet project

It is interesting to note that Kanick Raj and Roopa Pemmaraju were classmates at Chitra Kala Parishat and later on they worked together during which time the designs and visual merchandising of Roopa were translated into advertisements by art director Kanick. It was around this time that they realised that the two of them could come together and launch their pet project by way of Haldi.

With a year of hard work behind them they have filled nine stores across India in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai with their clothes. As of now, they have two commendable collections to their credit - Parallello, designed for Spring Summer ’07 and Old Masters, designed for Autumn Winter ’07.

They hope to interact with trendsetters and decision makers of the industry and explore new trends in future, in short leave no stone unturned to make Haldi a household name across the globe.