Page 71 - Vogue - India (January 2020)

would be silk. Handwoven, luxurious and elegant, silk is seasonless
embroideries to the vibrant colour palette which boasts the most
royal hues of sindoori red, purple, green, ivory and orange.
In a day and age when millennials increasingly try to keep
up with Western fashion, what importance do traditional
Indian garments hold?
Indian garments, in their silhouettes and styles, are classics. The
simplicity of a sari or a lehnga speaks of a subtle elegance that
transcends fleeting trends. We feel the magic of these garments
because the cuts are flattering on all body types. A salwar kameez, media to your brand?
for example—it’s comfortable and holds great cultural value and
emotional attachment. Recently, we have noticed millennial stars
like Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan donning Indian outfits. In
fact, Janhvi wore a Lajjoo C outfit just before her debut movie.
Indian attire is traditionally known for being elaborate,
loud and heavy. But your ensembles are the perfect blend
of simplicity and elegance. How do you manage to strike
this balance?
To share a secret—my designs address my needs. I am fortunate
that this inherent need has also created a market for my label. We Our next collection is going to be a summer line, for which we will
felt a gap in the market for clothing that is transitional…that can be be introducing a lot of prints and resham embroidery work.
dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. And that is where
we struck that balance between Indian traditions—be it fabrics,
cuts or craftsmanship and contemporary styles. We don’t aim to
—
make clothing that you wear once and then forget about. We want
people to wear our ensembles for years to come.
What fabrics do you enjoy working with most, and why?
We design only with pure fabrics. Chanderi and lightweight silks
are our favourites. The fabric that we most enjoy working with
and sturdy enough to hold the fine work of zardozi and gota.
Tell us about your clientele. And whom have you enjoyed
styling the most?
We have thoroughly enjoyed designing for Nita and Isha Ambani.
Vasudha Ruia, Ami Parikh, Piya Singh and Dimple Yadav are some
of our regular clients. We have also dressed Vidya Balan, Taapsee
Pannu, Kajol and Tisca Chopra. Most recently, we loved seeing
Deepika Padukone wear one of our kurta sets as an airport look.
Sustainability is a buzzword today, and it’s changing the way
designers approach fashion, too. What are your thoughts on
sustainability in fashion?
Sustainability is almost overused in the industry at present, with
designers and the market not really understanding the idea
behind it. It is, however, wonderful to see that the market is
waking up and asking the right questions about what goes into
the making of a garment and who are the people making it and
how is it contributing to their livelihood. Sustainability is not just
something that pertains to how a brand produces but also nods in
the direction of how the consumer consumes. It makes us happy
to see that consumers are looking to make small additions to their
wardrobes, with classic pieces that would last long and help them
move towards a ‘shop slow’ philosophy.
Back in the day, it was all about word of mouth advertising.
Today, social media rules the roost. How integral is social
Lajjoo C has thrived due to word of mouth publicity. That said,
we were late entrants to today’s digital world, but do believe that
Instagram has been a boon to the world of fashion. My brand is
not just sophisticated. It is rich in taste. It is an art form. And at its
core, it is good. And like all good things, there shouldn’t be too
much of it. So, we make sure that every post on social media is a
visual delight. And something that will make you pause and smile
as you scroll through your feed.
What’s next for Lajjoo C?
Raj Mahal, 1, Altamount Rd, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400026.
For more information, call 022 2351 9730 and 9136186516
or follow @lajjooc on Instagram. Available online on Ogaan.com,
Azafashions.com, Nykaafashion.com,
Perniaspopupshop.com and Aashniandco.com