EXCLUSIVE | Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI: Designer Anavila Misra: ‘We will lead in many ways in another 10 years’

Sarmast, Anavila Misra’s collection means poetically intoxicated in Persian. It is an ode to the soul of the Deccan where beauty is lived, opulence becomes feeling rather than display. Born from the mystic state of Wajd, it carries the stillness of Sufi devotion with the quiet grandeur of a timeless land. Sarmast is not a spectacle but a feeling, a passage into a dreamlike world where joy meets serenity. At its heart is the craft. The collection comes alive through handwoven linen that dances with light, appliquéd satin holding warmth and memory, delicate hand embroidery giving life its pulse. French lace with fine crochet brings tenderness to form, creating textures both familiar and otherworldly, like a memory resurfaced in calm.

In an interview with Firstpost, Anavila doesn’t only talk about her collection, but about her work which is an example of how fashion can be slow and how we can be conscious consumers. In our very own way can reduce the carbon foot-prints.

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Edited excerpts from the interview:

Where do you see India in the world’s fashion order? 

I feel we’re going to lead in many ways in another 10 years. We’ve been leading in craft and textiles, but that’s from behind the curtain that you create, but we don’t give the final product. And I feel at the pace we’re going in terms of design, actually design, we might be, we will be positioned to lead in ten years because earlier it was the craft story which was being told but now it is the design story as well. In fact, this year, there are so many fashion weeks which have seen Indian designers, like Anamika Khanna went to London Fashion Week. It’s at a very high speed that we are going in terms of expression and homegrown brands kind of playing with design in a certain aesthetic which is very Indian. And the world taking note of it. I see a very busy next ten years for Indian fashion.

With the global recession, how do you think that the business of fashion is going to get affected?

I see it is going to be impacted in the same way as every other business in many ways. The consumption abroad, so a lot of designers whose collections go to the international market, I think they might feel the burden of recession, but having said that, I feel that the Indian market is opening in different ways. Branded clothes or design labels are being accepted. Earlier it used to be that the homegrown brands or Indian labels were not perceived to be of the same value when compared to international labels.

Now, people understand that these brands have more craftsmanship or the value behind that craftsmanship or textiles because the social media and the conversation all of you guys have been having on fashion craftsmanship has reached people. So, the awareness of craft and textile is quite high. And the consumption in India itself is pretty good. In the Indian market, I see fashion floating and sail well, I don’t think it’s such a huge problem.

Have the buyers been reduced over a period of time as compared to what it used to be pre-pandemic?

We have internally worked on the strategy of where we are, where we want to be because as a brand which was young, a couple of years back to where we are, next year we are entering the 15th year of our brand. So, we’ve also kind of figured out what our clients need from us. We’ve consciously over the last three years worked on a more detailed collection and we don’t make too many pieces there. So, we focus on craftsmanship and on detailing on a line which takes a long time but it also has a very discerning customer who looks out for that.

What are your views on slow fashion?

I have classics in linen where we have not compromised on quality at all in terms of the yarn. We have seen a very strong repeat customers come to us once they get used to the product. So, I don’t see an issue there for our brand.

In fact, we have also consciously not gone overboard or grown exponentially in the last 3 to 4 years post-pandemic. And now actually is the time when we’re looking out to more avenues to be able to showcase our design. For us, we’ve kind of internalized or we’ve kind of worked on how we want our collections to look and feel and where all we want them. So right now, this year is going to be a growth year for us.