JOIN US'There's never a dull moment with the sari'
He’s literally invented the chudidhar sari, the trouser sari, the sari gown... “I am an experimental designer. So there’s no question of stagnation in my designs, monotony doesn’t figure in my dictionary,” he says.
Raakesh wants the women who wear his creations to look as sexy and glamorous as they can. “It’s not easy to make a woman look sexy in a sari. The sari doesn’t have to be necessarily heavily embellished to look good,” he reasons.
And Raakesh likes to play around with chiffon and thinks it offers endless opportunities in terms of design, cut and look. “There’s so much you can do with chiffon. That’s what I use in most of the film stars I design for. The chiffon sits pretty on just about any figure and really enhances the look of the person,” he points out.
Raakesh graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology and he focuses on intricately constructed clothes in the pret, diffusion and couture categories. He has showcased his work at most of the prominent shows across the globe.
Raakesh is known for his attention to detail and mastery over embroideries and draping. “Draping a sari isn’t easy. The garment has fascinated me to no end and that’s how the trouser sari and chudidhar sari were born. Some women find it tough to drape a sari. So I thought I’d invent something more workable,” reasons Raakesh and adds, “The idea worked and women who found the sari difficult to wear began taking to the chudidhar and trouser sari concept.”
Raakesh feels most Indian women can carry off a sari well and actresses like Ramba and Deepika Padukone are his favourites, “Indian women can slip into a sari very well. I hope to take the sari across to different countries and popularise it. With the sari, there’s never a dull moment,” he sums up.