As the boundaries between menswear and womenswear blur, there is a new school of designers taking over the contemporary fashionscape who focus on the individual and not their gender, culture, race, or size. One such label is Delhi-based Two Point Two by Anvita Sharma.
An all-inclusive, sustainable, and anti-conformist label, it aims to create an agender narrative. What intrigued Sharma to work in this direction was the absence of an entire spectrum of genders between two opposites, male and female. A lack of conversation in the arena of the LGBTQIA community was an added impetus.
Having launched her label in 2017, Sharma has tried to create a unique identity characterized by the Gen-Z approved aesthetic. Think handpainted, robe inspired trenches, oversized parkas inspired by the Hindu deity Lord Shiva’s form of Ardhnarishwara, cropped joggers and tops, deconstructed denim jackets and shirts.
Besides this, there is a range of shorts that can be paired with blazers, track pants, and even dresses featuring exquisite prints and patterns. One look at the labels Instagram feed gives you a peek into Sharma’s expansive mood board inspired by the works of artists such as Marina Abramovic and French illustrator George Lepape.
The rawness and asymmetry of Sharma’s creations are not limited to a visual aesthetic. So be it the raw threadwork and applique embroidery that play on the ideology of ‘Perfection in Imperfection’, or their use of cotton and handloom silk sourced from various clusters signifying appreciation for India’s vast pool of craftsman, everything in Sharma’s oeuvre holds a profound meaning.
In a short span of two and a half years, Two Point Two has been embraced by Bollywood’s leading fashion fixtures such as Neha Dhupia, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Kangana Ranaut. In 2019, Sharma also won the third edition of “Scouting for India,” a global project developed by Vogue Talents in collaboration with FAD International Academy and FAD Institute of Luxury Fashion & Style, which was followed by her Milan Fashion Week debut. Last season she made her London Fashion Week debut as a part of their Fashion Scout A/W 20 showcase, which is the largest independent platform in the UK championing emerging labels.
Anvita Sharma gave Lifestyle Asia India a complete lowdown on her journey so far and how what fashion looks like post-COVID-19.
On making keeping ‘agender’ the core of her brand
Two Point Two aims to create an ‘agender’ identity, with characters from maybe both the gender binaries or maybe none. The existing stereotypical categorisation of femininity and masculinity is something that we question. Why a particular piece of clothing is categorised into womenswear and is supposed to be worn by women. Why can’t a man, if he wants to, wear a skirt or a dress. If he does, why is that straight away related to his sexual preferences of being gay? All these existing definitions and constraints of the society that obstructs an individual’s wants and freedom is something we want to annihilate.
On her muse
As Two Point Two is an all-inclusive brand, we celebrate individuality, confidence, and diversity. We do not have a type or an age range of customers. We have a huge variety of clothing, and we are a customised made-to-order brand. So anyone and everyone who wants to express themselves in a particular way and confidence, we support them. Anyone who wants to treat the streets like a runway and do not care about what people might think or say is our muse. Anyone who wants to live their lives on their terms is our muse.
On creating wearable art
We use handloom silks and cotton of various craft clusters of India and amalgamate these traditional fabrics with an athletic/modern silhouettes. This juxtaposition represents the oxymoron Two Point Two is. With our intricate embroidery patterns and motifs, we want to tell a story. We focus on clothes as wearable art pieces. All the inspirations we amalgamate, all the shapes we take, every little detail that we use have a justification as to why has it been used.
Personally, I love to work with intricate embroideries and patterns, so I would have to say my favourite collection was our Spring Summer 20 collection names “N-R-Co-De”, and I put my heart and soul into it. We won the Vogue Talents Award for it and subsequently showcased at Milan Fashion Week in September 2019.
On her latest collection and London Fashion Week debut
Our latest collection named ‘The Self’ that we showcased at London Fashion Week last season is a pure celebration of individuality and confidence. ‘The Self’ embodies a reconceptualisation of genderless clothing, aspiring to refashion a world that breaks down the boundaries of gender and illuminate the very fluidity of it.
It speaks about self-confidence despite all flaws and quirks. It is about finding perfection in the imperfections; about embracing one’s uniqueness and weirdness because that is what sets you apart from the rest. I feel that our pantsuits from that collection are versatile. From a work meeting to dinner or drinks after work, or from a fancy brunch to a movie, one can comfortably and stylishly adorn them.
On sustainability post-COVID-19
COVID-19 is like a wakeup call. Practices like exchange old clothing, donate old clothing, upcycling, and re-construction should be adopted instead of throwing away clothes and just buying without no end. Two Point Two, even before the pandemic struck, had decided to hold a workshop in which clients could give us their old clothing and we could re-construct the same into something new and exciting for them at no cost. We also have dedicated our next collection to this cause of reducing wastage and will reconstruct it from all our existing samples of clothing and fabrics already in our studio.
All Images Courtesy: Two Point Two Instagram
To shop visit – Two Point Two
Anupam Dabral
Sr. Associate Editor
It was while studying fashion journalism at London College of Fashion that Anupam developed a keen interest in the anthropological aspect of the discipline; for him, fashion only makes sense when seen in the context of its environment. He is always on the hunt for great stories, and in his spare time binge-watches films/shows starring Whoopi Goldberg, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
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