Hemant Trevedi's haute secret

What's in for you may be out for designer Hemant Trevedi.

And what's out for Hemant Trevedi is definitely the slavish aping of trends.

Surely style, he says, is more than that. It is your individual choice. "You don't need an idiotic designer telling you what to wear. We are just helping hands. We are there to guide you. Ultimately, you are the one buying the outfit, you are the one wearing it. Not me."

Don't be fooled by that self-effacing statement. This man has had umpteen showings in India and abroad. His creations adorn the Femina Miss India winners pretty much every year. And Hemant Trevedi creations are what they look for when they represent India at the international level. He is also the creative consultant at Mumbai's Sheetal Design Studio.

Hemant's big deal: The India Fashion Week 2003 is special for Hemant for two reasons -- he debuts at the fashion week with IFW's prestigious finale showing. He will also showcase his collection at the Harvey Nichols exclusive store in Riyadh in the near future. "I've been invited by Harvey Nichols to show in the Gulf to start with but, hopefully, they will invite me to London as well. At least, that's what they have said. So it's a big deal."

What he will wear to his showing: Jeans and a tee shirt. I need to be comfortable in what I'm wearing.

The time it took him to complete the IFW 2003 collection: All of two months. I had fabulous support from my design team.

The depth of water: The designer was given the theme, Watercolours, to derive inspiration from and create magic. He chose to express himself through the Colour Drench concept because, he says, "it has more depth and a deeper understanding of water."

Designer Wendell Rodricks, who also happens to be Hemant's close friend, will unveil the Colour Spray range of Watercolours at the finale along with Hemant.

While designing this range, all he kept in mind: Was one simple fact, "I'm just an Indian designer who has sought inspiration from the three seasons in India: hot weather, wet weather and cool weather.

Hot is haute: For the Hot Collection, I used the first gentle element of water trickling on parched land. I chose Rajasthan for obvious reasons. I've used a lot of tattooed bodies and tried to show tiny rivulets of water through the wonder of badla or mukaish work. The colours are very terracotta and earthy. And the look is fusion.

Wet and drenched: As the name says, the theme here is wet. It signifies the monsoons. The look and the silhouettes are totally Western. The only Indian touch is that the models will be wearing bangles.

And the cool tribute: Every single colour I've used in the Cool Weather collection figures in the Lakme makeup range. The blues, pinks and peaches of the cosmetics all figure here. There are two-three saris as the focus is evening wear. This is a rich collection, ornate, with jewels. This is my tribute to the India Fashion Week 2003.

Hemant's trademark: Hey, I'm an Indian designer operating from India. Therefore, whatever I create has an Indian element in it, whether it is embroidery or choice of textile. I don't want to lay claim to the fact that I created the sleeve or something else. All
I do is interpret things my way.

Biggest fear: I despair the sari will become an outdated garment. Look at girls today. They sport trousers, jeans, skirts… never saris. The sari is like the kimono. Look how easily Japanese women have adapted to the Western dress rather than their own native dress. The sari is a dying art form and I hope to revive it. I mean, where else do you get five-and-a-half metres to work sheer magic with?"

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