Stories in weaves

The designers at ‘The Conversation’, a boutique in Indiranagar, strive to translate and capture their experiences in every design. This is reflected in the cut, colour and texture of the garments. 

For the eclectic woman

The apparel collection, ‘Rouka’, at ‘The Conversation’, is designed by Sreejith Jeevan who works in collaboration with the chief curator of the store, Amit Sarin. 

The duo create clothes that are fun to wear and have a story, both about the clothes and its makers. “I always translate my experiences into clothes which makes it meaningful to me and fun to the wearer. By choice, we keep them simple, effortless and wearable,” explains Sreejith. 

The designers say that their clothes are for the modern eclectic woman. “I make clothes that everyone can wear. It could be an expatriate who lives in India or an Indian who’s holidaying in Paris; for a girl who studies in the morning and works in the evening, for a mother who manages to work and look after her children. I make clothes for everyone. It’s modern, Indian and quirky,” adds Sreejith.  

Amit believes that dressing up has to be as much fun as wearing it.

 “People aren’t scared to experiment and express, which by itself is a good sign. ‘Ramp to reality’ is no longer a dream or an unknown concept,” explains Amit. 

Fashion for Amit and Sreejith is life and livelihood. “We love clothes and sharing that joy is what we wake up for,” they opine. They think that garments are an extension of a person, just as home decor is. “Our customers are also always looking for that little extra that is just their very own. We therefore work with designers who leverage traditional weaves, techniques with embellishments,” shares Amit.   

 The women’s wear, whether tops, dresses or tunics, are simple yet attractive. The designers don’t believe in making clothes that are loud and in the face. To them, even a simple garment with a single large design can be made to look appealing. 

Ask how the duo hit upon the name, ‘The Conversation’ and they explain that conversations are a traditional form of connection. 

“They are intimate, rare and run deep. Our value system is driven by tradition. Like a conversation, each of our collection has a story to tell. It is about the connection between the artist and the product, the buyer and the piece of art. It is personal, intimate and soul-satisfying,” they sum up. 

Irene Augustine, I year BA, Mount Carmel College wore a off-white silk tunic and three-fourth pants to go with it. 

Punchline: “This silk outfit is truly attractive. I would wear this ensemble to an office party or to a meeting. The pants have a see-through umbrella which makes the garment look attractive.” 

Price: Tunic (Rs 3,820) and pants (Rs 5,680). 

Purva, II year BSc, Army Institute of Fashion and Design wore a silk white tunic and matched it with denims. 

Punchline: “The garment is very light. It is a combination of elegance and class. The simple designs on it, make it look attractive. You could mix and match the top to give it a formal appearance and tweak it a little to give it a casual look.” 

Price: Silk white tunic (Rs 6,460)

Radhika Sharma, II year BSc, Army Institute of Fashion and Design wore a white silk top. 

Punchline: “The clothes are classy and one of a kind. I really like the fit, look and feel of the garment. The contrast is especially striking.” 

Price: White silk top (Rs 6,380)

G Chandini, II year BSc, Fashion Apparel and Design, Oxford College of Science, wore a black top with an umbrella print on it and paired it with beige pants.

Punchline: “This is a very comfortable top that can be either worn with a pencil skirt or even with denims. It’s cool, stylish, trendy and can be worn on any occasion.” 

Price: Top (Rs 3,880) 

Akshatha Nagendra, II year BBM, Mount Carmel College, wore a plain black silk dress with minimal design. 

Punchline: “The dress is very elegant and comfortable. The design is simple yet classy. It could be worn to a party or a get together.”      

Price: Black silk dress (Rs 8,070)