Backstage Entry

Sitting in the front row is passé. Taking a walk through a designer’s atelier is where the real magic lies.

- Nidhi Raj Singh

I looked at my watch, for the nth time, wishing the driver would hurry up. I did not want to be late for my experience, Journey of Couture, booked through Airbnb. I was not leaving town for scenic mountains up north to stay with some monks, nor was I on my way to be hosted by a Portuguese family at their Goan beach house. I was headed to designers Shantanu & Nikhil’s atelier in Noida.

Shifting impatiently at the back seat, I did the math. Every year, for more than half a dozen times, we, fashion journalists, find ourselves keenly observing silhouettes, the flow of a gown and surface texturing at fashion shows. The rush ends much before we can spell adrenaline. The review is duly filed and printed, before we move on to another show, another venue, another season. While we have an inkling of what’s behind the scene — thanks to numerous heart-to-heart conversations with designers — it is rare for us to make it to the sketching table. Journey of Couture intrigued us as it promised to take us to the other side of the catwalk.