Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

How does an outfit carry the designer’s aesthetic as well as his approach to life? An award winning capsule collection tells us.

- Rituparna Som

In a Nachiket Barve world, there is ultimate balance. Between gender roles, design and life in general. The winner of the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize India, Pakistan & Middle East regional finals (Womenswear), has an unusual motif that marries his love for balance and the challenge of working with wool to create his capsule collection. It’s a seahorse, printed in curlicued detail on the lining of his prize winning collection, and embellished cunningly on drapes. “The male of the species, who is nurturing, giving birth to the young – it’s not just a gender role reversal. It’s the balance that I’m always looking for,” he says.

The designer has been known for his fluid silhouettes, detailed enough to cater to trend-specific demands and yet remain classically timeless – “I want the clothes to last through years regardless of trend, and I want it to appeal across ages,” he says. Which means a Tulipmania dress is something that a mother and daughter is meant to share. And a beautifully cut jacket with clever panel details wrought through graphic embroidery with wool is going to stand you in good stead over decades and across generations.