Striking a Balance

An extension of the designers personality, Aikeyah, sanskrit for ‘own identity’; by Isha Dhingra, draws inspiration from the Parisian streets to the villages of Rajasthan, from kimonos to our Indian angrakhas. With each garment of her collection narrating a story of its own and imbibing the vibe of the era gone by; the same inspiration laid their foundation.

Established in 2012, their label brings together Indian elements to a sensibility very global in appeal, focusing on comfort and ease. Their choice to work with cotton in all forms, textures and origin allows them to mould their ensembles in relaxed silhouettes that don’t confine to any particular body shape characterises the spirit of Aikeyah.

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For Isha, an immense inclination towards fashion a very young age propelled her to pursue design. Her childhood pleasures of reading, painting, and various crafts laid its foundation and contributed to the obvious. Life experiences in general, travel and failures honed her skills further. Her design story revolves around putting together simple things in a way that’s not only interesting but finds a voice of its own.

Her designs are synonymous as-‘structured but fluid, embroidered yet modern’ which has made her a favourite all over. She tells us about her inspiration, which calls out to her to create such finesse.

"Design is important. And most of the time it supersedes the colour, a trend or a confirmative outlook. That lends fluidity. We thus belong to many. It could be an unassuming silhouette or a fully embroidered dress, reflecting a culture, a large audience resonates with today, thereby, synonymous with modern yet old world charm, says Isha.

She further adds, that design connects all dots for us. Dots between an unpretentious approach and detailed, deftly created garments. We take pride in consistently delivering the same sensibility promised at our inception. Today, we aren’t labelled. Aikeyah is neither a bridal label, or a textile oriented label, nor an indian or western silhouette, its global. It’s a label that focuses on the design and detail. I am following my path and the inspiration lies in the moment. What we come up with next will be entirely based on our evolving design approach, from within and our own experiences with the label.

Her garments offer an extensive use of French knots and for her choice of colours, she believes that they are reflective of one's mood, persona and the moment. "We don’t choose colours, the colours choose us," she says with a smile.

She has worked with the monochrome palate as a canvas for her designs, for a while; they are easy on the eyes, though they sometimes come across as across oblivious. She believes is working with colours as a welcoming change. "I think, colours play a primary role not only in dressing up but also from a retail perspective. Our colour palette has never followed a trend. It’s like adding spices to a dish. It enhances the flavour, sometimes only used as a garnish. The same principle should follow up in one’s wardrobe," explains Isha.

As a woman who speaks her mind, Isha discusses the demanding business of creative and commercial fashion which leaves no room for mistakes. " As a community we are hugely driven by great aesthetic and that’s what makes us special. But we also are in a dilemma. A conflict we need to combat, the sooner the better. Today we need more leadership, not primarily driven by bollywood or occasionwear; but an honest approach; towards fashion, fashion journalism and fashion week. And the rest shall follow," she exclaims.

But at the same time, with the advancement of the digital era and the market becoming an interconnected whole, things are easier than ever before. The communication much easier. And one owns their platform to reach out, eventually giving more power to the retailer.

Her label constantly strives to provide legitimate reasons for attention from the audience considering the exposure. Their process is enabled by an imagery that has been aesthetically put together. As far as the creative management is concerned; she believes that the label’s foundation is so strong that they never loose onto the creative side of it. "It’s about following my own path, without distractions," says Isha.

Taking the free spirit of the modern woman ahead, she speaks to us about the modern bride who is ready to step out of the conventional barriers and try out something new with her wardrobe. She believes with the kind of exposure around us, the young brides today are well informed and well equipped. Apart from knowing what they want they also know what they don’t want. This makes it very clear, for the bride and the designers of today to provide for their clientele. You can’t convince a difference of opinion today. Its simple, direct and forward.

The next step on this high spirited designer's journey continues to be a dialogue with an unpretentious approach to couture, which Aikeyah seeks to make room for, in one’s wardrobe as a celebration of self.