Every year, we’re becoming braver, experimental and more fearless. I am even more proud of our team and the brand, as we have managed to make it a commercial success too…Gaurav Gupta speaks with Puja Gupta
Gaurav Gupta has established his name as an avant garde designer, not just in India but also internationally. The brand made its global presence felt when American rapper Megan Thee Stallion debuted it at the Oscars red carpet wearing a custom gown.
Gupta says it was the most fulfilling moment for him to be the first Indian designer to be worn by an ‘A plus’ celebrity on the carpet. We got to chat with him about his journey, his brand aesthetics and more:
Gaurav Gupta’s creation
How would you define the journey of Gaurav Gupta as a brand?
The brand started 17 years back with my brother and business partner Saurabh Gupta with 2-3 tailors and a master. And today we’re a team of over 200 people and each one of them is extremely skilled and talented for their own purpose in the brand. The brand has always stood by the principles of being experimental, innovative and driving culture to expand minds, and to be able to show people a new way of living.
Creating a world of fantasy and surrealism, it’s an art-fashion brand. Every year, we’re becoming braver, experimental and more fearless. I am even more proud of our team and the brand, as we have managed to make it a commercial success too.
Another amazing thing that happened this year is that the brand has become fully global and was on multiple best-dressed lists across the globe for our placement at the Oscars with Megan thee Stallion, at Time100 with Mary J Blige, dressing Cardi-B for her music video, Aishwarya Rai at Cannes and many others for dressing iconic cult personalities.
How has your design aesthetics changed over the years?
We are culturalists, we have our own cult in language and design. It honestly depends on my mood; this time it’s more space-age which is becoming more and more fearless. It’s not about what a client wants, we tend to challenge it more and the world responds to it.
Your most fulfilling moment?
The most fulfilling moment for me was when I woke up to Megan Thee Stallion debuting at the Oscars red carpet wearing our custom gown. It was the first time an Indian designer was worn by an A plus celebrity on the carpet. I could see the potential of an Indian designer truly becoming global, we were recognised for our history, our expertise in form and design. And then to be touted as the best-dressed celebrity across almost all leading international media, was surreal.
Gaurav Gupta’s creation
You launched your latest collection at LFW x FDCI. Tell us about it.
The collection is called ‘StarLand’, inspired by the infinity of the cosmos. An extra-terrestrial other planetary zone; travelling through space and galaxies. This is what inspired me, the infinite shapes, our galactic-meteoric embroideries, comet like shapes, cosmic colors like the blackness of space, Jupiter gold, galactic lava grey and space teal. We were extremely playful with menswear inspired by astrology and astronomy-sharp embroideries and cuts. An abstract interpretation of how a new world would look like. It took us 3-4 months to create the entire collection.
What are you next working on?
I am working towards making the brand more and more sustainable. And establishing a zero-waste policy-all our packaging is made out of recycled ocean and landfill waste. And there are many new projects in the pipeline like new stores, architectural projects and others that I can’t disclose, yet.
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