by ABFRLadmin | May 11, 2023
We at ABFRL, present stories excerpted from our internal newsletter In Touch, where we celebrate stories of our people and their contributions.
Whenever you feel great getting dressed up for a special occasion in ensembles from any of our brands, take a moment to pause and think of our talented team of designers that weave this magic every day. While every piece that is created is special, there is always something that is closest to the heart of every designer. Bhanu Dhingra, Head of Design, TASVA (Indivinity Clothing Retail) shares with us the most memorable piece hes ever designed.
From his childhood, Bhanu has nursed the innate desire to be a fashion designer. He recalls indulging in sketching garments, thinking about ideas, watching and following fashion shows. But the road to becoming an established designer hasnt been all that linear for him. Being excellent at academics meant following a path that lead to almost becoming a chartered accountant.
As he put this dream of studying fashion on the backburner, and took to two grueling years of chartered accountancy, the constant sense of dissatisfaction made him reset his career aspirations. He made the difficult decision of dropping out of accountancy; enrolling himself at Fashionista – The School of Fashion Technology has been the gamechanger he had always hoped for!
From working with the brand Tarun Tahiliani to transitioning to Tasva, the journey has led me to explore luxurious textiles and embellishment techniques, beautiful and innovative blends of textiles in the art corners and hubs of India. The transition to Tasva has been incredibly rewarding, ranging from customized textiles to bulk-production friendly embroidery techniques such as computer-based stitches using materials like Resham, Zari, sequins, etc. To create garments that speak of stories from within, it is important for any designer to delve into the origin of every element of the design process, and to immerse completely in the ever-evolving design process.
With Tasva, our plan is to create unique styles for each season and with this direction, come challenges of timeline and defining efficient processes for sampling. This entails an immersive journey of R&D and sourcing across multiple textile and embroidery centres in India.
One such centre has brought me to this rather interesting yet exclusive technique called Engineered Weaving. Though exclusive in nature, engineered weaving is used in multiple textile bases and is only used for high production quantities. It has been one of the most premium discoveries for the brand that we strive to build upon. Engineered weaving has enabled me to design the textiles right within the block of the garment. It comprises bases such as silk viscose, 100% viscose, viscose twill and is mixed with Zari in different combination of artworks and colours. It is a unique process that helps in creating jacquard patterns, which are distinguished and carry a high premium factor. The conversions of these jacquards directly on the blocks of garments varying from Kurtas, Bundi to Sherwani help in maintaining the exclusivity of designs. The vendor base for this technique is strong and expanding in regions such as Benaras and Surat, and is agile to any last-minute changes and developments in the designs.
I am looking forward to indulge and build upon this technique and add it to a greater section of the range.
