A different kind of SPOTLIGHT

So the 20^th of May 2012 saw the end of NIFT Mumbai as a student for me. A much appreciated show. When your friends, faculty members, juniors and co coordinators come up to your parents and talk to them, I’m sure I did something right. Not only did I walk for my friends (Alisha, Shamita, Rujuta, and Mayuri) but I finally walked the ramp as a designer for my own collection – AAMI SIMPRE NOBIN. Although it will forever be remembered as FUGA PARA MUGA all thanks to that little dove Alisha, I was immensely overjoyed by the response and the compliments. The final walk was a walk that I will remember. I couldn’t believe that this was it. This was the end of the 4 years of fashion design in NIFT, Mumbai. This would be probably the last time I would be around all the 33 madcaps of my class.

 

 

  

A big big big thank you to my supportive papa and my beautiful ma, to my annoying adorable sisters Nirikshya and Nimisha, even though they didn’t know what I was doing or where those clothes came from, their gleaming faces make me the happiest in the world. To the wonderful pixies and angels I call my friends; some of whom are here and some who will always be in my heart even though they are geographically elsewhere. To the models who were so accommodating and who walked in those towering shoes.

 

Unconcealed

Open up but shut down,
I try to bare my soul.
I hide myself,
I sink into a black hole.
I let my mind fly endlessly,
Just then reality comes with a leash;
I am Exposed, UNCONCEALED, Free
And that is all you will be able to see.

For our Couture module in the 7th Semester, I came up with theme UNCONCEALED. I wanted to create a Gown which was sultry at the same time sophisticated. I love skin show but just a peek of it and at the right places. I absolutely love this gown which i made in GWEEEEN of course with animal printed chiffon. The back had a long train of Black Tulle cones.

 

A thigh high slit worked wonderfully with the gown.

 

 6 in the morning shoot on Shweta Sharma's locked terrace, with yummy Nidhi Sunil and the rockstar Saagar Gavri.

Last minutes Counting

From the collection
Designed and edited by Yours Truly (Nijhum Patra)
Model : Sruthi Kattoor
Image by Ravindu Patil

After 6 months of frantic searching for that perfect song for my first ever fashion show.. I FINALLY FOUND IT!!! I am counting minutes now. My FINALE of sorts and the grand exit from NIFT, Mumbai is on the 20th of  this month and I have such a whirlpool of emotions in my heart and mind.

Light me up a cigarette and put it in my mouth
You're the only one that wants me around
And I can think of a thousand reasons why
I don't believe in you, I don't believe in you and I

Light me up a cigarette and put it in my mouth
You're the only one that wants me to die
And I can think of a thousand reasons why
I don't believe in you, I don't believe in you

I'm not yours anymore
I'm not yours anymore
No, I'm not yours anymore
I'm not yours anymore

Jump into your white mobile and run away
You're always leaving me behind
And I can think of a thousand reasons why
I don't believe in you, I don't believe in you and I

I'm not yours anymore
I'm not yours anymore
No, I, I'm not yours anymore
I'm not yours anymore

Light me up a cigarette and put it in my mouth
You're the only one that wants me around
And I can think of a thousand reasons why
I don't believe in you, I don't believe in you and I

Angus and Julia Stone - I'm Not Yours (PatrickReza Dubstep Remix)

Women of Urban War

I stand Strong and Proud.
I fight wars of words,
dignity and power.
My love is a revolver, Sex is a killer

 

The 1st time in college I got an opportunity to make a full fledged ensemble I along with the magic makers (Rujuta, Alisha)came up with this theme. Women now are no less than soldiers who fight for their respect and place everyday. This theme worked wonderfully with the forecast then which was autumn winter 2009. We came up with wonderful silhouettes which were big on top and slender at the bottom. I love the color combination and the fact that we got away with the best fabric in the best price without traveling and dragging our poor souls to the other side of the city.

Shirt with mandarin collar, contrast collar on the inside with princess gathered panels and leg-o-mutton sleeves along with front conceal placket and contrast french cuff variation. Peg skirt with center back opening and slit

 

No one better than the strong and fierce Rujuta Vaidya as the model and image and editing by yours truly.

Light of darkness

 As the darkness gives way to the
succumbing light of the day,
As I stay awake,
looking forth to the warmth of your words,
As I reminisce the joys we spent under the bright sky,
I ruminate about the times you said you will stand by me.

Flared capes with hood,
Zardozi Embroidery on Black Satin Cape,
Blace Lace with Dupionni Silk in blue

 

The story is about two friends and how time grows them apart. Bonds made over time fizzle out. Someone told me long time ago that every relationship has an expiry date. I wouldn't want to believe so but I have seen it happen. 

The two capes have been designed and constructed by yours truly. Although for different assignments I styled them together to get this Fab result. 6 in the morning shoot in Belapur by the fantastic Saagar Gavri. And the lovely models Ritika Dodeja and Smriti Bafna.

Corporeal Carcass

Bringing back and taking away

The essence of sorrow and joy

Rising from the fresh scent of decay

With vengeance and wrath to destroy…

We were given an assignment in college before our couture gown module to make a miniature size gown for a Barbie doll... the excitement that engulfed us girls is beyond words. I remember growing up stitching, pasting, gluing clothes on my Barbie dolls which me and my younger sister had a combined of say over a 100 of them. It transported all of us back to that. Well the guys didn’t have much to say. I remember one of my classmates, a guy of course holding the doll by her hair and making her fly with her gown: O. INHUMAN… we were given a designer and we had to make our work look like theirs. I was ecstatic to get Elsa Schiaparelli as my designer.

Keeping in mind her style of work I came up with this theme. I worked around a few key words.

•Larger than life animal print

•Drastic change in silhouette

•Bare

•Break

•Transform

•Surreal

•Stark 

Although an assignment but I realized how difficult it is to make clothes in miniature size. They did this exercise in the Victorian era. The designers at that time made a miniature version of the gowns that the aristocrats wanted to get made in the same fabrics and colours.

I made two gowns in red, black, white and grey. They are slim body hugging sensual gowns with hand painted motifs on them with thigh high slits. Elsa loved bustles so I gave them detachable bustles to add drama.