Phavini Kalra, the blooming young designer in Bangkok shares her experience in the fashion industry with Lifestyle. It feels good to have a dream but Phavini does not only have dreams, she actually makes it happen. Drawing the designs and making it a reality is definitely something we respect her for. Phavini is also one of the designers for the talked-about play, "Rendezvous with my Alter."
How long did you spend making the clothes for the play Rendezvous with my Alter?
There are only a couple of pieces in the play that are actually made by me.
My role in this play is more of a stylist than of a dressmaker. I have basically put together outfits for every single character in every single scene down to the smallest detail.
For this project, unlike for others in which I have been able to simply follow all my whims and fancies, I had to understand the characters and then choose a look that suited their personalities. Naaz, played by Laksmi for example, lacks confidence in her appearance and in many aspects of her life.
Her clothing must reflect this and I thus chose to dress her in neutral colors and silhouettes that were bland and lacking femininity. Sam (played by Sonia) on the other hand, is flirty, happy and fun; her clothing choices convey this as well.
In essence, while I didn't make most of the clothes in the production, it still took a while to plan their attires and acquire all the many pieces that were necessary to complete each and every look.
What inspires you to be a fashion designer?
I can't quite pinpoint what it is that I am inspired by, but I do know that I am drawn to this naturally. When asked the question, “why designing?”, I always say that designing picked me, and not the other way round. I didn't really have much of a say in this whole decision making process.
I tried not to do it; I tried to be the woman in an office working away at her computer every day, but I somehow couldn't take the conventional route. One day, during the summer after my third year of University (where I studied economics), without even really thinking it through, I walked into Raffles, looked at the sewing machines and mannequins and the masses of fabric everywhere, and I decided to enroll there.
Usually, I am a relentless over-analyzer, but in this case, it was so quick and spontaneous that I felt like it really did come from somewhere else. If asked what inspires my designs, I would say anything and everything - every road sign, every garbage bag, every painting, every song, every smell, my every mood, the rain, the sun, the grass, the texture of wood, just feelings around me...
Tell us a little bit about your collection
My latest collection for my label “Pavni”, which is really just my Indian name, is about ethnic clothing that is practical and aesthetically pleasing to the urban modern woman of today who lives in jeans and if necessary, work-clothes, and wears Indian clothes mostly just for special or religious occasions. The clothes have strong western influences but they remain Indian at heart.
My newest look is all about extremes - extremely traditional Indian elements mixed with extremely un-Indian prints or fabrics, or extremely hard and structured looks juxtaposed by really soft and flowing elements.
Do you have any favorite piece from your collection, if so, which one and why?
I don't have a favorite piece because I actually love every single outfit. All the creations are extremely different and reflect the many sides of my personality. The racks are full of traditional Indian garments as well as completely Western-looking outfits, young hip creations and mature sophisticated looks, colorful vibrant suits hung beside subtle low-key pieces, etc.
To pick one outfit that is my favorite would be like picking one part of my personality that I like more than the other and that just cannot be done!
If you could pick an icon to wear your clothes right now who would it be and why?
My clothes are for women who are intelligent, confident, stylish, and comfortable in their skin. Their look is casual but full of personality. They enjoy being beautiful but are not obsessed with beauty.
They work hard, play hard, love life and know their priorities be it their career, their children, their various passions, etc. They are balanced and secure. My clothes are also meant to be accessible while being unique and classy. I am not a fan of snob appeal.
For this reason, if I had to pick icons, I'd say strong, smart and beautiful women like Sushmita Sen, Natalie Portman, Lara Dutta and Cameron Diaz.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Wherever life takes me, I'm going to say that I just hope that wherever I am, I'm happy.
See Phavini's designs at www.phavini.com.
