Verve|July 2016

From the organic shapes in her oil paintings to her asymmetrical garments on the ramp, abstraction is integral to Payal Khandwala. Her sartorial language remains unique, discovers Saumya Sinha

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Her approach to dressmaking involves an unfettered attention to detail and ‘simply a shift in canvas’ from painting, a passion that she has pursued since she was seven years old. The Parsons School of Design graduate emerged on the Indian fashion scene in 2012 with a distinct point of view, which soon struck a chord with designers, consumers and buyers. This watershed event arrived in Khandwala’s life when an opportunity to show at Lakmé Fashion Week arose, and in spite of being a full-time painter, she launched her label instinctively. Today, within a short span of four years, she has managed to carve a niche for herself by bringing a refreshing brand of clothing to the consumer.

Khandwala’s first stint with fashion began in the early ’90s — possibly the worst decade for fashion, in her opinion, but also the best time to make as many faux pas as possible. “I designed an outfit — if you could even call it that — for my school farewell party when I turned 16. It had everything I detest — shiny black satin, gathered net, puffy sleeves...but since it was such a disaster, luckily for me, the only way was up,” she admits. For anyone who is acquainted with her work, it is very easy to spot in the sea of sameness that dominates both fusion and traditional wear, because of her thoughtful approach. “I start with a point of inspiration — it could be anything: a carpet, a building or an artwork. I map out a colour story, explore new shapes, push old ideas further, develop textiles to support the new collection, design the accessories...I can almost always visualise the collection in my head,” she explains.

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