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Fashion is becoming increasingly personal, says Dhruv Kapoor

In an interview with Lounge, the designer talks about his fall-winter collection at the 2023 Milan Fashion Week

Dhruv Kapoor
Dhruv Kapoor

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Each Dhruv Kapoor collection is dipped in an athletic and cosmopolitan elegance. Always aiming to impart a sense of freshness and novelty and offering elevated functionality through his craft, the designer remains faithful to his core values. 

In every outing, one's likely to come across several artistic details like mix media and features like detachable embroideries.

"We mostly react to floating ideologies through our seasonal collections. The concept builds over time and it's mostly an intangible subject that is later translated through colour, print and shape. I prefer to focus on the mood or the feeling an outfit would generate. It’s the intangible that attracts our attention; it's always about how we want to feel and this is always our aim: the feel good factor," says Kapoor.

Also read: Dhruv Kapoor shows menswear can be really fun too

In an interview, Kapoor talks about his design inspiration and his Milan Fashion Week Fall Winter 2023 showcase, The Embracer. Edited excerpts:

 

From Kapoor's 'The Embracer' collection
From Kapoor's 'The Embracer' collection

You've made your presence felt at the Milan fashion week with your global Gen Z aesthetic. How’s the experience been?

The experience is an ever-evolving one. I am always excited to meet new mindsets during our trips to Milan and develop new networks and memories with our growing audiences from around the world.

You’ve made a transition from initially fashioning experimental silhouettes to creating more evocative prints. What’s the next step for the brand Dhruv Kapoor?

I personally enjoy trying new things and moulding them in a more personal format. It is interesting to approach a recurring concept through a different pair of eyes. There might be a collection with no print in the future; I would never restrict any new directions if they sprout naturally. We are looking at some exciting collaborations similar to the one in the current season with Toho’s Godzilla.

How have you incorporated sustainable ethos into your design process? Your recycled jackets and upcycled bags come to mind instantly…

The sustainable approach is consistently our aim while producing or projecting a collection. We work hard to derive ways to come to desired conclusions using a more ethical and eco-friendly format. Added versatility is another approach we consider while building each piece… by adopting DIY details to increase repeatability with the option to pair up or down, and increasing product shelf life.

Your spring-summer collection “The Dreamer” explores silhouette mashups, sheer fabrics, oversized shapes and tie up details. Could you take us through the Milan Fashion Week collection.

This one specifically had a large moodboard. The Embracer reverses the negative connotation attached to alter-egos. Fall’ 23 juxtaposes polar mindsets, bringing them in perfect sync through unusual pairings. A vibrant mix of colours and patterns that seamlessly fuse tradition and technology, birthing a new aesthetic for a modern society. This collection explores multiple facets of our myriad selves—from asymmetric tailoring to slouchy sweatpants and giant tracksuits to distressed denim. A play on proportions and a wide array of textiles that are part recycled and part upcycled, remain constant.

Do you see fashion becoming increasingly trend-less in 2023?

Individuality. Fashion is becoming increasingly personal. It is finally at a point where people actually use it to project themselves to the world around them rather than adopting aimless trends to fit a prevailing system. And when a bunch of people use similar notes on projection, it births a new trend. However, fashion’s current state boasts a variety of trends, too many to count. Retailers are offering large ideologies through apparel and accessories and people are seamlessly pairing diverse stories together that help them define themselves.

Also read: Gucci recasts itself during Milan Fashion Week

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