Comfort is style!

Hyderabad based designer Archana is one among the most promising designers of India and her simple, yet trendy collection showcased at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013 said it all Askari Jaffer Hyderabad based designer, Archana Rao, made a debut on the fashion circuit last year at the Gen-Next show, Lakme Fashion week, March 2012. This year she showcased an uber hep collection through her label 'Frou Frou' at the Talent Box during Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013. Today she is amongst the most promising fashion designers, "I was always a creative child and was interested in art and painting and wanted to be in the world of fashion. I did my graduation from NIFT before completing my masters from Parsons school of Design, New York and I worked with few design houses for experience and then returned home. I started my label a year and half ago," shares Archana. The 2012 Lakme Show marked her official entry into the big world of fashion. "The show was my stepping stone towards the fashion industry. There is actually a selection plot in Lakme Fashion Week. Gen-Next show was for upcoming designers, where you have to apply to showcase. I was one of the seven designers selected out of 200 applicants.

Archana Rao's Summer/ Resort collection of 2013 has designs that are very mainstream. "My designs are diverse. There are jackets, shirts, tops and trousers that can be worn differently." "This time my collection is inspired by vintage and thrift stores from around the globe and I was inspired by the many textures. The entire collection has prints on twill using organza, denim and sheer fabrics," she adds. Simple and tailored, the pieces that she showcased at Lakme sported embroidery, fringes, feminine prints, trims, pearl detailing which helped add to the fun and fabulous appeal, while fabric treatments such as distress effects added a spunky touch. "I have a work-shop in Hyderabad. I have a team of workers who do the embroidery and other works." Even as she used a wide variety of fine fabrics, the emphasis was also more on the textures, "The fabrics are simple and I used contrasting combinations. I have blazers and shirts that are transparent, but again you will see a hint of rough fabric attached to it. The play of contrasting elements like the softer fabric with harder fabric put together is the key. I worked on texture more than the shape of the garment." She presented trendy summer colours such as mustard, red and blue that were highly saturated yet toned down for a rich yet versatile, wearable appeal. She blended the colours with sombre shades of bronze and beige for a glam touch. This time she experimented with shoes and bags too, "I designed shoes and bags by myself in order to showcase my inspiration through the entire look. I intentionally avoided using jewellery as I want to create styling using my shoes and bags., she shares. The designer admits that Stella McCartney is her favourite designer. And she wants to design for anybody who has a strong sense of style, who is comfortable in their skin and who is ready to experiment with new styles. About her future plans, "I want to start retailing in other cities as well and I want to expand my label, Frou Frou by Archana Rao, (indicative of the rustling sound of fabric). "Be comfortable with what you are wearing and that is fashion," she says, before signing off.