FREEZE!

Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna have recently launched their new 2005 Fashion week collection in Bangalore under their labels H2O and Cue. The winder line was cheerful and the feel was inviting as the buyers poured into the store to grab their share of the sunshine. Puja Goyal caught up with the designers to find out more about their clothes…

Why Bangalore?
- Our Festive line is launched in Bangalore first because the season out here is ready compared to other parts of the country, which is scorching.

How was your collection conceived?
- We had been to Dubai for a vacation and were taken away by the extravagant yet simple designs and feel of the place. What fascinated us were the chandeliers, architecture, motifs and drapes in hotels and other places… all of which had an element of royalty in them. This inspired us towards our present collection.

Tell us more about the clothes…
- This season belongs to the neo-gothic, romantic woman clad in textured velvets, sequined laces and appliquéd satins. The men discard grunge and revert to impeccably tailored velvets and bottom weight tweeds. The emphasis is more on detailing and textures. The style statements are as sporadic and intense as our interplay between matt and shine. The silhouettes have adorned themselves in luxury of a slightly bohemian import. One can easily spot the not so subtle gothic inspirations along with the opulence of baroque and vintage directions. As we accomplish complex cowls and folds through the simplest of geometric pattern cutting, we also go retro with our finishes and surfaces that add class to our garments. New age fabrics like air-jet woven double layered poly-viscose combine with chiffons and tulle to exude a style which is as edgy as it is decadent. According to us the season is of opulence, textures and an exploration of the dark side of glam and beauty.

Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna

How different is this collection from the previous collection?
- In our previous collection we concentrated on cargoes and military greens as predominant, but in this collection we have moved on from pants, which were a rage sometime back, to skirts, which are feminine and elegant.

Since, we were one of the first designers to launch the prêt-o-poter collection, which consists of clothes, which are buyable by everyone; we want to reach out to everyone who would like a designer ensemble in their wardrobe. This is one of the reasons why, in this collection, the price range is very basic and starts from anywhere between Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 and goes up to Rs. 5,000. We have kept everyone in mind when it comes to sizes, which range from XS to L, and have also catered to a wider age bracket (18- 60 yrs)

How has the Bangalore buyer responded to your collection? Who are your buyers?
- The response in Bangalore, which is where our fifth store in India is located, was tremendous. People were invited to participate in the Coffee Morning which starts at 11.00 am and ends at 1.00 pm, but everyone started pouring in as early as 10.00. We have had to order for more clothes from the store within a few hours of the store opening.

What next in the designing arena?
- Only time will tell. As of now we are concentrating on skirts. All I know at the moment is that big glasses and belts are back. Retro is in and brooches are a rage.

(Both Designs Copyright of Rohit and Rahul
as Part of Cue Collection.)

(Source: Vijay Times, BVT Pg 4.)
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal