I of the needle
Brunch|June 08, 2024
Century-old fabrics, designs sourced from museums, inspiration from old photos, creative hacks to turn back time. Check out how Indian costume designers are making every period detail shine
Urvee Modwel
I of the needle

Have Indian costumers ever had it so good? All of a sudden, period dramas and comedies are all over Indian screens. The year's breakout hit, Laapataa Ladies, recreates a time just before mobile phones took over our lives. Ae Watan Mere Watan is set in 1942, amidst our struggle for freedom. A biopic on Indira Gandhi is in the works, as is a movie about Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, the Gujarati prince who sheltered thousands of Polish children during World War II.

And streaming on Netflix is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The tale of courtesans in undivided Punjab of the 1940s has polarised viewers and critics. But its sumptuous costumes, created by Rimple and Harpreet Narula, are an undisputed hit.

So, what does it take to recreate a moment in the past, and design looks that illuminate a story without eclipsing it? We asked Rimple Narula, who also worked on Padmaavat (2018); Ratna Dhanda, costume designer on Ae Watan Mere Watan and founder of The Dress Anatomy; and Niharika Bhasin, who created 1950s garments for Khoya Khoya Chand (2007), turned actors into Ravi Varma muses in Rang Rasiya (2008), and gave costumes an Art Deco twist in Bombay Velvet (2015). They all say it's more complicated than it seams.

Choice cuts

For Heeramandi, the Narulas knew that Bhansali's vision runs both sumptuous and ambitious. They'd worked with him on Padmaavat and Rimple Narula recalls visiting the Calico Museum of Textiles in Gujarat, the Victoria & Albert Museum in the UK, and vintage costume shows for research on what royals wore in 14th century India. She even flew to Turkey and collected cloth from antique stores to understand what old fabrics felt like.

This story is from the June 08, 2024 edition of Brunch.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 08, 2024 edition of Brunch.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BRUNCHView All
Avantika Dassani
Brunch

Avantika Dassani

Actor, @AvantikaDassani

time-read
1 min  |
November 23, 2024
Keep your i on this BMW
Brunch

Keep your i on this BMW

The brand's beloved sedan has now gone electric. The i5 M60 has a sci-fi roar and razor-sharp graphics. It's worth the hype

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Why adapt when you can evolve?
Brunch

Why adapt when you can evolve?

Sometimes, the movie or show does it better than the book it is based on. Here's when to stream not flip

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Sharp edges, blunt words
Brunch

Sharp edges, blunt words

British chef Heston Blumenthal has gone public about his struggle with ADHD and bipolar syndrome. He hopes it calms kitchens down. It's hot in there already

time-read
3 mins  |
November 23, 2024
The suitable boy
Brunch

The suitable boy

He's played lovers, taxi drivers, street rats and rich brats. He's redefining what it means to be the token Brown boy on set. But would he be on a reality show? Ishaan Khatter tells us why he's a career chameleon and how he got here

time-read
4 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Stay stylish in your cubicle
Brunch

Stay stylish in your cubicle

Everyone's back at the office. Covid flexibilities are long forgotten. But being comfortable is still key. So, what are we wearing to work?

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Fit check? Look behind you
Brunch

Fit check? Look behind you

In gyms, someone is always filming. We are all in the frame without meaning to be. Is privacy at odds with fitness goals? Is consent even possible with all those mirrors?

time-read
2 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Hey, I found you online
Brunch

Hey, I found you online

Baby pics, emo selfies, old tweets outing the ex. If it makes you cringe, it makes HR departments do too. Here's how to clean up your digital footprint

time-read
3 mins  |
November 23, 2024
Is It Scrolling Or Screening?
Brunch

Is It Scrolling Or Screening?

Being on the phone while the TV plays is the new normal. Just don't do it when there's company. A case for what it means to be present

time-read
2 mins  |
November 16, 2024
This week, we're...
Brunch

This week, we're...

Preferring the spinoff.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 16, 2024