Bringing tradition to limelight

She studied law in Pune and also worked with one of India’s top law firms for two years, but from within, she was craving for something else, something that she had always been passionate about. Jhelum Gopal Dalvi, a young face in India’s fashion industry, had grown up in a family where everyone, at some point in their lives, was associated with the fashion world.

“My grandfather travelled to London during his younger days to study fashion while my mother studied fashion in Mumbai. In fact, my great grandmother was related to the field in a big way, so with so much influence within the family itself, it was natural for me to be inclined towards it too,” says Jhelum. However, she says that her parents always wanted her to study something ‘concrete’ and that’s why she pursued law, but after working for a while, she realised that her real interest lay in the world of fashion and decided to make a shift.

“I started my multi-designer store last year in October and since then, there has been no looking back. I launched my own label last month. Though I haven’t participated in any fashion weeks as of now, I plan to do so next year,” says Jhelum.

Her work is all about khadi wear. The fabric is an important aspect of her label and  one can see an array of classy yet simple outfits, from heavy couture garments to the classic ‘lehenga choli’.

She has concentrated on both a luxury pret line and a simple pret line so far. “It is a tribute to our national fabric khadi and since it is very elegant and classic yet simple, I haven’t done anything extra with it,” she says.

As for her latest collection, she has concentrated on three different looks. So everyone can connect with it and there is something for each one to take back home. The purpose of the collection, she points out, is to reach out to people (both young and old) and make them aware of the fact that khadi is as beautiful as any other foreign fabric. She says, “We want to encourage people to use Indian khadi based silks which can be really luxurious and graceful. Khadi is a very versatile fabric.”

She says that she gained a lot of technical knowledge about fashion from her mother. She did some formal training and it only got easier with an expert like her mother being around all the time. “Fashion is not just about glamour; it is to have ample knowledge about knowing how to cut and style every piece as well as putting in a lot of hard work. This is what I learnt from my mother,” says Jhelum.

Her forte lies in designing clothes that are classy and simple, and something that can be worn at any time depending on how one accessorises it.  “There is a crazy amount of competition in this field, which has compromised on the quality of clothes to some extent. It is important for any aspiring designer to get their basics right and get the quality in place before taking off,” says Jhelum.