Anju Modi showcased her bridal collection on the opening day of Kalyan Jewellers M4Marry Wedding Fashion 2018 and is super excited to be in Kochi. In an exclusive interview, she says, ultimately, life is all about being compassionate and helping each other. She is happy to see Kerala back on its feet after the devastation caused by the floods.
Here is what she had to say about her collection, work in south Indian cinema, and much more.
Can we get a sneak peak into your designs for Kalyan Jewellers M4Marry Wedding Week 2018?
Well, as I always get inspired by historical textures, textile and history in all has a great inspiration and motivation behind my each collection, this collection talks about a miniature painting of India and of course the devotion and surrender of Radha towards Krishna and is therefore called 'Indian heritage story.’
You have already graced Bollywood films like Bajirao Mastani and Ram Leela. So, should we have any hopes of seeing your work in Malayalam cinema?
Of course I am very much open to be invited by the Malayalam film industry if they would like me to do the costumes for any film. As of now I am doing another movie in Andhra Pradesh which is by Cheeranjeevi and is called ‘Saira Narsihma Reddy.’ I am very intrigued by the kind of detailing, the kind of discipline and aesthetics they have. I am so much inspired by the culture of the region.
You have been celebrated for your experiments with fabrics from different cultures. How do you feel fashion and art overcome barriers of cultures in our highly diverse country?
India is, in fact, a very diverse country and it has a cultural ethos that is going everywhere, it's intermingling. In the day of internet, everything is like a 'potpourri' and the designers' rule is that, as artists, we take inspiration from the local weaving centres. For example. use Kerala woven fabrics and then print them in Rajasthani vegetable dye print. That is also a rule of a designer that how are they mingle or interact with different crafts of our country. Thats actually my forte. I have travelled all over the country and 24 states. I have been to Kerala so many times. I have visited Balrampuram and the weavers' clusters and taken fabrics from there and of course I have been to Kanjipuram, then used Gujarat bandhini and Varanasi’s woven fabrics of brocade and gone from there to Kashmir. Each and every part of the country I have visited where the crafts are instilled and I have learnt the craft and then designed the craft along with the weavers. I think it is the artistry of the designer and the craftsman together that brings together this kind of fashion to the public and all my endeavour is that if we celebrate our heritage, our cultural ethos and weave them into today's fashion that is what is born by today’s women and men. In fact, it is going abroad so we can also talk about the global intermingling of fashion. So, I am proud of the way my brand is bringing it forward.
Speaking of globalisation of fashion, can Indian fashion be seen on the international runway without being contemporised?
See, the point is that as time moves on and as we are evolving and changing, we should respect and accept this natural change. If we are taking inspiration from the past, from the history, we should bring out the beautiful and good part of history and give our own interpretation and contribution to the present. That is what contemporary is, as a literal meaning, I would say. That is the way world and life move on so it is like embracing your past, respecting your past and adding on your own of the present. That is what fashion is all about. it has to contemporise. It cannot be just coming back from the history and standing there again. As of today’s lifestyle we have to adapt to it. We speak in english, we do not wear costumes of yesteryear, we are wear practical clothing.
This is south India’s biggest fashion event and is all about bridalwear. As an expert, how would you describe the current scenario of bridal fashion in India and also its future?
I feel the brides of our country are still maintaining the very beautiful rituals of vedantic mantras and the agni pheras. So we stick to the traditional clothing of the bride. It goes with the whole atmosphere. We are doing the whole decor where we have these banana trees to give an auspicious feel and we have these deers and peacocks and cows as a symbol of prosperity. We believe in dressing the brides in a traditional manner. I am the kind of designer who always, always celebrates our tradition in a modern way.
What are the four things you keep in mind when designing a bridal collection?
Firstly, I am focused on that particular bride. How she looks. Is she tall? Is she fair, dusky? Where is the wedding happening? So the complete personality of the bride has to be kept in mind. Accordingly, if its a day wedding, I need light colours and if it is an evening wedding, then I need to keep dark colours in mind. That is the second point to keep in mind - the surroundings and the environment and the weather. And of course, the third is that how is the bride going to feel comfortable. What are the trendiest colours? Taking inspiration from tradition, I also have to keep in mind the modern trends. Fourth, and the most important thing, is that what is going to make her look the most beautiful. Is she happy with a saree or she happy with a mundu or whatever. We need to understand the culture that she is coming from.
There is still a lot of stigma attached to making arts and fashion a career in India. What advice do you have for youngsters looking to make a career in this profession?
Firstly, I would say if anybody has an aesthetic sense and the talent to be an artist, whether it’s design or painting or fashion, they should feel that they are god's own men or women. They are the privileged ones. Very few are born with this talent. And artistry cannot be taught. One should feel very proud about the fact that they have this talent where they can take it up as a profession. Take it forward, celebrate yourself and celebrate art itself.
