Rajesh Pratap Singh

Breakfast with... 31 Breakfast with...

You were born and raised in Rajasthan.What are your first memories of that place?

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I was born in Sri Ganganagar and raised in Jaipur, but learnt the finer nuances of design by getting a goldmine of an opportunity to work with some of the best names in the industry. I also had a distant cousin, who was doing costumes for BBC plays, and he became a kind of ‘hero’ for me when I was in class VIII. However, seeing John Singh, of Anokhi, zipping around on his fancy bikes, creating art out of Indian heritage, textiles and weaves, is what really got me hooked. I worshipped him.

You had a stint with David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore... I was lucky to get an opportunity to work with people who redefined fashion. Among them, Mapu (Martand) left an indelible mark on me.

How did you move from exports to launching your own label for the domestic market?

I started in 1997 by exporting linen jackets and shirts to Canada, France and Japan. Exports have been my focus. But when a close friend, Amrita Singh, who used to run a store called Amaya, impelled me to look at the local market, I gave it a thought. Tina Tahiliani (Ensemble) and Kavita Bhartia (Ogaan) also contributed majorly towards the launch of my label. So Pratap was launched towards the end of 1997. I started with women’s wear.

Menswear has been your forte...

I trained in Italy for two years in pattern cutting, after NIFT, understanding the nuances of menswear. And I really don’t understand these diversifications in fashion when people say—prêt, diffusion or couture—these are all marketing tools. What I do understand are techniques and innovations. White is a colour I have held dear and I have worked with it for 17 years, and pin-tucked is not something I invented, it’s been around. I just thought it gives a nice texture to the fabric so I adapted it. That’s how the Pratap white pin-tucked shirt was born and, some say, it became a classic. I like hand stitching, it gives you a certain edge, which a machine doesn’t. Is fashion an exhausting experience, having to come up with a new idea every four months?

I keep doing and improving upon what I have done before, so seasons don’t bring my life to a crashing halt. Actually, I experiment a lot and that is what keeps me motivated enough to be a part of this often unkind world. And I don’t have to travel to exotic destinations or see fabulous architecture to know what to do. India has reverberating magic in its weaves, fabrics, fibres, which is the stage I start working with in my collections. I start by discovering what all I can add or subtract in the fibre, engineer it in a way that it changes its shape and form. I do what comes naturally to me and if you ask me about the DNA of my work or my signature, I would call these words meaningless jargon often used to impress ignorant people. In actuality, it means nothing! Are you ever gripped by self-doubt?

I do have doubts about whether my experiments with a particular fabric will work or not. Is this yarn, which I have developed, strong enough? Is it going to be environment-friendly? Have I spent too much time experimenting? Anything we make involves a great degree of R&D and that’s what keeps me interested in design. It is very easy to cut and paste and create pieces, but at the end of the day, if no thought has gone into it, I feel what’s the point of doing this… Do you get nervous before a show?

Once the clothes are done and have left for the show area, my work is done. I feel extremely uncomfortable in the limelight, I am a misfit in this fashion world. So much so that it borders on irritating. I have never been to a nightclub and I don’t like partying. I like my private space and I prefer sticking to people I have grown up around. And it’samisnomer that you are consumed by loneliness if you are a creative person. I have never felt that way. I have two kids, a loving family, and they are my catharsis.

What is your biggest weakness and strength?

I am very slow at doing things. I take a lot of time thinking. I don’t think I have any strengths that I can mention here. But every day, I feel like I am losing time. There are so many things that I want to do and there just isn’t enough time. What do you think of your wife Payal’s label?

Payal’s clothes are like her, easy-breezy. We exchange ideas all the time. I don’t influence her. Her label is her voice. We studied together in NIFT and I gently prodded her to launch, as she is an extremely talented designer.

Do you ever think about collaborations?

We make our own shoes(leather sandals,buttonsets)and jewellery. And for scarves, we have tied up with Shingora, a Ludhiana-based company. We make our own fabrics, most things are woven in our factory in Faridabad.I also work closely with Arvind Mills to create new engineered fabrics like our innovations in denim,ExcelDenim, which offered a softer touch and easier drape, given the changing fashion landscape.

Are you interested in online retail?

I do most of my shopping online.I hate malls and shopping online saves a lot of time. It also ensures absolute privacy. I value that myself and understand that many of our clients would like to enjoy this privilege, too. So we are working on something which will be launched soon. The Internet is the future, there is no denying that!

Do you ever think about giving it all up?

I do think about it time and again. I want to leave all this and take up kinnow farming. But it is easy to run away. You can run, you can’t hide. This is my life and there are many aspects of it that are truly engaging and enjoyable.