JOIN USRoyal styles in the modern world
Designing has always had an esoteric air about itself. No wonder, designers of blue blood have managed to carve a niche for themselves with royal elan and ease.
Designers from the foremost royal families from across the country recently congregated in Bengaluru during the ‘Royals Fables’, a one-day exhibition of royal art and craft, to share their thoughts and insights into how they have managed to keep the tradition alive in the modern era and give a seamlessly modern spin to traditional outfits.
The exhibition aimed to revive the culture of the ‘Palace Karkhanas’, which were craft studios that provided a means of livelihood to local artisans, says Anshu Khanna, founder of Royal Fables. DHonSaturday interacted with three prominent designers at the exhibition, to understand how they have adapted to changing styles while retaining their traditional identity and fold.
Kunwar Yaduveer Singh Bera, who hails from Rajasthan has created hunter jackets to warm fulgars in velvet. Hailing from the Bera family, Yaduveer’s interest in creating Bera hunting jackets began when he learnt that the Bera jacket he used to wear was invented by his great grandfather.
The jacket aroused the curiosity of people around him. They would ask him, “What brand is it?” He then realised that he could turn it into something different. Bera is known for hand-tucked hunting jackets in canvas and cords and fulgars (hand-tucked coats in velvet) that are worn by the Rajputs during the cold desert winter, explains Yaduveer.
“The main tweak to the traditional Bera jackets that I have brought is in the material. We use velvet now. These jackets were once worn by the royals whenever they went hunting. It is now worn as a statement piece,” he adds. The jackets are now worn to weddings and formal occasions and less for hunting, he explains.
“These jackets are custom-made. What we experiment with are the cuts and colours. While retaining the traditional element, we bring in a few modern twists,” he adds.
Drawing from nature
Amrita Rana Singh from Nepal creates jewels worn by the Malla princesses and the Rana women. Hailing from royalty herself, her jewellery is finely crafted using diamonds, cabochon rubies, faceted emeralds, rare sapphires and precious pearls and retains its classic vintage look. She says that she grew up being exposed to the finest jewellery.
“The ruling family always bought its jewellery from Europe where the designs are influenced by art decor. The stones are set in silver as the white sheen of metal works better here than gold. Most Nepali girls are married into Indian princely states and they brought with them the jewellery tradition of matha patti, jhoomar and maang tikas,” Amrita explains.
She says she wants to venture into creating modern designs while keeping the traditional fold intact.
Where does she get her inspiration? “I draw my design ideas from the simple things that I see around me like birds, features and nature is what fires my imagination,” she says.
Retaining the royal touch
Carrying forward the legacy of the Hutheesing empire, Umang Hutheesing, the country’s most acclaimed costume creator, is the only couturier to have had shoes in celebrated museums of the world. His designs come with his trademark style of Aabhas, an antique style of clothing, worn by Indian princes.
Through his designs, he has helped preserve and restore the craft of patola, which is worn by the royals. “The master craftsmen are within the family and our family craftsmen have curated a vast collection of royal costumes. We are focused on recreating museum quality work while allowing royalty to continue. Our biggest challenge is to continue to retain our design and tradition while ensuring quality,” Umang tells DHonSaturday.
He says he always works toward bringing in an element of versatility into his designs. “Wearing a cape over a sari has always been a fad and this is being popularised in a big way. The artisans are trained in royal poshak-khaanas. We are known for our delicate mastery, using motifs from the medieval times,” he explains.
Challenges aplenty
Resisting the temptation to modernise
Staying true to tradition
Finding traditional craftsmen
Preservation of the craft
Design challenges
Steering clear of repetition
Keeping Indian art and craft in focus
Sustenance in the market
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