At the age of six, he cut his mother’s sari to make something out of it. And by 10, he was sure where his interest lay — designing the most unconventional series of clothes.

  Designer Swapnil Shinde, a renowned fashion designer, believes in coming out of the cocoon set by society and creating a few rules for himself. He says, “I am proactively creative by heart and like to create something different and unusual. I like to break the mould.”

Explaining his style of work, he adds, “I am more inclined towards designing Western outfits. I prefer mixing futuristic designs with traditional ones and producing something unique. I think this combination in itself is rare. Many designers tend to mix modernity with tradition; however, my collection is in between futuristic and traditional.”

According to him, he would have been a dancer if his career as a designer hadn’t clicked. Swapnil explains, “I always wanted to get into the creative field. However, if not a designer, I would have definitely been a dancer.”

On the challenges he faces in the field of fashion designing, he says that it’s hard to make people in the fashion industry and outside understand his point of view as it is a bit over the top.

“Since my collection involves a lot of futuristic elements, this avant garde or unconventional way of thinking becomes a difficult task to explain. This is one of the biggest challenge I face.”

The key highlight of his latest collection is his emphasis on feminine fabrics like jewel tone lace.

   “I tend to use materials which are edgy and unconventional. Lately, I have started enjoying working with lycra and jewel tone lace as they give a better fit. I make sure that my designs are not repetitive, they are fresh and make a statement,” he elaborates.

For him, the five must-haves for every woman and her closet are, “A crisp white shirt, a little black dress, a gold clutch, a pearl necklace and black stilettos.”

    Having taken part in the 14th season of ‘Project Runway’, Swapnil’s future plans is to be a part of ‘Project Runway All Stars’. Apart from that, he is, in the meanwhile, also working on a menswear line.

    As a piece of advise to the aspiring designers, he says, “The industry has cut throat competition, so one needs to never give up and follow their own instincts.”