Sequins with Substance

Designer Ashish Gupta’s creations reflect the dual nature of his world

In conversation with Ashish Gupta, Sanam Peshiman finds him to be a designer operating between two forces, often opposing, yet somehow always complimenting each other.

Innocence and Experience

A three-time New Generation Award winner at London Fashion Week, Ashish is part of the prestigious Central Saint Martins alumni. Having won the award as many times as possible, Ashish is a designer who has been noticed as promising talent and encouraged at every step. Now, six years into his career, Ashish still manages to hold his own despite graduating from the group of up coming and slowly making his way to established. The 33 year old designer still manages to bring packed houses, proving that he isn’t one of the hundreds of talented designers who have their fifteen minutes of fame and then slink away into shadows. His most recent Spring Summer 2008 collection was his best received yet.

Glamour and Simplicity

Beautiful dresses gleaming with sequins in feminine hues of pale pink, sunshine yellow, gold, black and silver; it’s no surprise that Ashish is a name synonymous with glamour. The interesting dichotomy he presents is what makes his collection maintain it’s quirky edge despite being endearingly commercial. Loose, flattering shapes and even the most ornate of dresses teamed with practical pockets, Ashish presents the feminine, tough girl. She teams sequins with manly brogues; poker straight hair with loose, sheer shirt dresses. The Ashish girl this season is a beautiful mix of in-your-face toughness and self-assured femininity. The designer was inspired by Larry Clark’s Bully and claims the women who wear his clothes are strong, yet maintain a sense of humor. “She can’t be scared to be the centre of attention”, claims the designer, “You need to be ready to be stared at when you walk into a room.”

India and Britain

Growing up in Delhi, Ashish was inspired by his grandmother, a painter, and his mother, who he claims, always loved fashion. Pouring over copies of Vogue left around the house, Ashish says he always knew fashion was what we wanted to do. When asked if he sees himself as an Indian or a British designer, Ashish shrugs off the question claiming he doesn’t think of his work as a cultural mascot in any sense. “Am I an Indian designer or a British one? I don’t know, it’s not really relevant to the way I work, but if I had to choose I’d probably pick British.” From a generation of designers who aren’t confined to any one particular cultural phenomenon, Ashish refuses to be pigeonholed, yet flirts with the best of both worlds. With most of his embroidery done by hand in his own factories in India, Ashish’s clothes reflects the intricate craftsmanship India is synonymous with whilst being original enough to be found in the wardrobe of big celebrities and fashion icons.

Passion and Business

Speaking with Ashish, one instantly picks up for his passion and love for what he does. His fashion is fun and he has fun with it. Ask him if he’ll ever tire of sequins, he laughs and says “I’m not sure, but I hope not!” He doesn’t have a five year plan, nor does he see himself launching a flagship boutique. He lives from one fashion season to the next and believes that since he honestly believes in what he does, he just hopes to continue as he has been for the last few year. Yet Ashish never takes himself, or his fashion too seriously. “Yes, I love what I do, but I see it for what it is, a job I put in a lot of hardwork for and which makes me money.” It is this honesty which makes him not only a designer with vision, but a businessman who believe in making hay while the sun shines. The realistic attitude encouraged him to design for Topshop, with a new collection launching this Christmas. While some designers may claim launching a highstreet collection is a sell-out, Ashish begs to differ, “If anything I view it as a challenge, you need to keep in mind the price point, the store’s philosophy and of course keep the essence of your work, I still find it creatively stimulating.” It is this refreshing attitude that reveals Ashish as a designer with as much style, panache and substance as his clothes.