Indian designers Shantnu & Nikhil's talks climate change, fast-fashion, and sustainability

Gulf News

The sibling designer duo were at the COP28 in Dubai to showcase their couture creations with a conscience Read the full story here:   See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon, I'm going to be in conversation with Indian designer brother duo, Shantanu and Nikhil.

00:05They were here at the COP28 showcasing their sustainable fashion as well.

00:10It's a big moment for Indian designers.

00:12They were joining shoulders with other big fashion houses around the globe.

00:18I caught up with them to know more about sustainability and about Bollywood.

00:22If you could work with one fabric for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

00:26Imagine if that one fabric has enough volume that I can drape things.

00:34So I'd go with a heavier weight of a chiffon, about 120 grams of it,

00:39because I can get everything in it. I can make the world, I can drape the world in it.

00:44And if you could work with one color for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

00:48You know, colors for us, we always come down to a color palette which is natural, so vanilla.

00:56An off-white, like an ivory, a pearl finish, that palette, that color always works for us.

01:02Fantastic, and if you could design for one season, which is your favorite?

01:06I feel the transition is always beautiful.

01:10So for us, the beginning of autumn is a really good time.

01:14Right, and who wears your clothes best?

01:16I.

01:16A Bollywood figure? Yes, he is a public figure in himself, other than yourself.

01:21No one better than me. I wear them best.

01:23Sustainability in fashion is the buzzword now. What could you tell us, how do we understand it?

01:30Sustainability means different things to different brands. For us, sustainability

01:34is a slow and a gradual process, it's not a radical process. We are couturiers,

01:41and as couturiers, we've already embarked on slow fashion, which is a big part of sustainability.

01:48However, we are slowly but surely moving into a direction where some of our sourcing,

01:54some of our materials and ingredients that we use marry the couture and the ceremonial

02:01bridal designers that we are, without taking anything away from the bride or the groom.

02:06Still make you look glamorous with whatever we do with our fabrics and the ingredients

02:12that go into making that beautiful silhouette.

02:15As a consumer, how can I be more responsible towards being more sustainable?

02:20Is it about buying less, repeating clothes more?

02:22Yeah, as a consumer, I believe we are a very strong, young, urban Indian population.

02:30The demographics are fabulous. I think the Gen Z understands gender fluidity

02:35and sustainability like never before. I think they are the ones who are the flag bearers and

02:40the torch bearers for who we are as Indians. I don't think we need to educate them. They are

02:44absolutely on point. The fact that they are voicing their opinions and I can see it already

02:51as a brand, our brides and our grooms are wanting to wear clothes that are usable in many avatars.

02:58So it's not for one particular function. I've seen our brides and grooms wear

03:03the same silhouette for their friends' weddings or attending someone's party.

03:08So that by itself is consumerism that is spelling out responsibility.

Category

Transcript

Recommended