A burst of pink hues contrasts the pale white walls on the first floor of textile designer Gaurang Shah’s flagship store in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. On display are lehengas and saris he will be showcasing at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), Mumbai, on March 14. His spring-summer collection is named Gulal and he says the idea of showcasing ensembles of one colour scheme came from singer Shubha Mudgal. “She told me that in the past, people dressed in colours representing a season. This season I will be presenting everything in shades of pink for phagun (spring), ahead of Holi,” says Gaurang.
Earlier, Gaurang had presented a collection titled Sindoor which was lapped up by brides for their wedding trousseau. Next, he plans to work on collections representing the colours of haldi (yellow) and kesar (saffron). Gulal aligns with the spirit of the Holi festivities and spring-summer, but he points out that most vibrant Indian colours are season-agnostic among buyers.
He debuted at LFW in 2012 and has so far showcased 22 seasons. He uses the platform for visibility as well as creative challenges. “There are buyers for our handlooms. But if not for a fashion showcase such as this, I may not come up with thematic collections.” He took a break last year to step back and reassess his creations. “During the pandemic, the production had also suffered. Now my weavers and karigars are able to step up the work,” he says.
