NRI, Ashish Gupta-one of the top new generation designers by the British Fashion week

 

New Delhi, Oct 11, 2004
(IANS)

New Delhi boy Ashish Gupta is the rising star of London's fashion scene

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Gupta, on whom the spotlight fell this London fashion week, has several claims to fame. One of his dresses was worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in the "Sex and the City". Jerry Hall comes to see his clothes, and his was one of the most exuberant lines on the London runway this year.

This is a true blue NRI success story.

Gupta, 29, was born in New Delhi, studied at the legendary Central St. Martins in London - which has produced names like Alexander McQueen - and has celebrities like Elizabeth Jagger and Sharon Stone donning his clothes.

He has been declared one of the top new generation designers by the British Fashion week. This is a man who designs in London, has workshops in India where he gets intricate hand embroidery done, and sells in London and Toronto.

At the London fashion week, Gupta showed a highly applauded collection of cheery, bright greens and oranges filled with snazzy scissor embroidery and coupled with printed tights.

His work is said to be inspired by eccentric elements like neon billboards and poster campaigns to the character Alexis Carrington in the TV soap "Dynasty".

What has been noticed is his unique sense of effervescent humour at a time of rather laboured fashion statements and carefully cultivated style definitions.

He used scissor embroidery on bright coloured trench coats, shiny kilts and that flash of light-hearted inspiration - the Minnie Mouse T-shirt.

In effect, Gupta is what Indian fashion needs to be - vibrantly ultra chic but with hints of Indian elements - like the hand finished textures and embroideries.

His clothes have been called "Pop African with a sprinkling of Bollywood glitter" mixed with a bit of "vintage Americana".

Most importantly, Gupta is bringing to Indian fashion a new face of coolness that it has always sought but never had.