When creativity meets wit

He has been in the industry for the past eight years and has slowly made a space of his own in the competitive field. With each collection that he comes up with, designer Nilesh Parashar has turned heads in the fashion world with his mesmerising silhouettes. He continues to weave magic with his five-year-old label ‘Nautanky’.

The young and witty designer took time out from his busy schedule and spoke to Surupasree Sarmmah about his journey as a designer, his inspirations and more.

What made you take designing so seriously?
I was 22-years-old when I thought of doing something which will be different every day; both in terms of creativity and challenges. I was always into sketching, and I slowly moved towards sketching people. This took another turn and later I started focussing more on the detailing of their clothes. This excited me a lot and I got influenced by that. After that, I joined NIFT and here I am today.

The first thing you designed...
It was a cover for my father’s scooter. In fact, that was something that turned my attention into fashion.

Why the name ‘Nautanky’?
‘Nautanky’ actually was an Indian princess, but in modern days it is synonymous with something dramatic. My outfits too have dramatic designs, thus living up to the name. There is a style for everyone and since I believe that clothes speak for themselves, I utilise my creativity to the fullest in each silhouette.   
 
Your other interests...
Furnishing interiors is something I am extremely interested in. Starting a furnishing line has been on  my mind for a long time now.
What has been your
inspiration?
Fashion is a cycle, trends repeat themselves after a certain time. Blending new designs and creativity into the trends of a by-gone era is inspiring. Apart from this, I gather a lot of inspiration from daily life and people.

You are a new addition to a wardrobe... what outfit would you like to be and why?
I would want to be a cool pair of ‘khadi’ denim. It is one of the most comfortable outfits and can be worn anywhere. My idea of fashion is also all about comfortable clothing.

Do you believe in sustainable fashion?
Yes, of course, I do. My outfits too have a repetitive value as they can be worn for any occasion. All one needs to do is style them a bit differently.

Your biggest lesson...
There are a lot of lessons that this profession has taught me. But the most important ones so far have been ‘respect the time and time will respect you’ and ‘you can’t always run behind money’.
Where do you see ‘Nautanky’ in five years?
I see ‘Nautanky’ as a brand that will be taken seriously; a brand with  flagship stores in big cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.

Any alternate profession you had in mind while growing up?
I love cooking, so I wanted to be a chef. But then I realised that when everybody else will have holidays, I will still have to work. That’s when I gave a second thought to this profession. (laughs)
 
An advice that changed your life?
A valuable advice I received was that ‘no’ itself is a statement. If we learn to say ‘no’, life will be less complicated. This has helped me a lot and people have started respecting me a lot more.