At the showcase of the MA collections of Central Saint Martins at London Fashion Week, commenting on the body-conscious, confident collection of Kaushik Velendra, British Vogue noted the clothes “demonstrated a new acceptance of sexy, or perhaps of human nature.” In the black-and-white Dorian Gray-esque line, severe and lean menswear tailoring came with cleverly-placed sportswear touches, like a tuxedo jacket framed by shoulders that looked like they were melted onto the models’ form. For Chennai-based Velendra (28), who joined CSM five years ago and is pursuing a Master’s in menswear fashion there, the goal was clear: “To constantly evolve and rethink tailoring with an aim to create a new tailored man.” Vogue spoke to the young designer about his collection, from how he came up with the concept to the detailing showcased in his latest line-up. Excerpts below.
The idea
“My graduate collection was all about re-thinking the tailored man. The hybrid collection takes a modern dimension, observing the DNA of sportswear and the human anatomy. Tailoring and sportswear are deeply engaged with each other through their construction and relationship with the human body. My collection investigates the infinite possibilities of linking the two together, creating a new generation of a modern, futuristic, sophisticated and luxurious man.
What would it be like to redress a new masculinity? Could it help people look and feel better? And could it get rid of their insecurities? Naturally fascinated by this expression, my intention was to find a way to recreate those masculine shoulders, elegant elongated proportions and bold muscles using modified tailoring techniques and fabrication. The best way to explain my collection in short would be super-modern tailoring or tailoring for the future.”
The tailoring
“My speculation with sportswear and tailoring is of particular importance to the collection. It articulates the relationship between construction lines and the human body. These lines accentuate the silhouettes and allow possibilities to create new seams. The seams also allow for innumerable ways to restructure a tailored garment. This enables me to clearly understand the anatomy and grow proportions respectively. The influence of sportswear has led me to investigate newly evolved techniques and fabrication that could replace the traditional ways of tailoring and evolve a modern identity.”
The details
“I’ve used several futuristic materials to create my collection. A special heat-reacting felt was used to mould the shoulders, replacing the shoulder pads that are traditionally used in tailored garments. Magnetic zips have been used for closures. The most exciting part of the collection was my collaboration with Jean Francois Lesage and his amazing team at Vastrakala in Chennai—they beaded my collection with new materials and traditional Indian techniques of embroidery. This also gave me the opportunity to work with my fellow artisans from Chennai, and I was happy to represent their art at London Fashion Week. My shoes were handmade in Paris in collaboration with Fred Rolland (the former atelier of Christian Louboutin). The collection by itself was made across three different cities—London, Paris and Chennai.”
Also read:
London Fashion Week AW19: The biggest fashion trends on the runway
The must-see hairstyles and makeup trends from London Fashion Week AW 19
The post Meet the young Indian designer who showcased at London Fashion Week appeared first on VOGUE India.
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