The ethos of Lucknow is in my works: Abhinav Mishra

“I was getting a lot of inquiries and orders from Chennai. This is why I decided to host a launch of my Sitara collection here too. I have especially hand-picked muted and pastel colour pieces, which are simple yet elegant in appeal, for the city. This was the general theme that I found with most of the orders I got from here,” explains the designer. 

The Sitara collection is an occasion wear line, composed of natural fabrics in a combination of pastel shades with bright shades of pink, orange and blue, with mirror and zari work. It is inspired by Abhinav’s muse, Sitara, a fictional representation of a carefree and elegant young girl who is progressive and modern, and yet is drawn to old world romance and cities that represent long-gone royal eras, like Lucknow and Jaipur. 

“As I am from Lucknow, the ethos of the bygone-royal era that can be seen throughout the city, always creeps into my work. But I think the collection perfectly embodies the modern girl as well- someone who is unconventional, fashion-forward and fun loving,” adds Abhinav. 

The designer has been making waves in the Indian designer bridal wear market since he started his fashion label in 2009, thanks to his light but beautiful, affordably priced lehengas. Abhinav says bridal wear is the primary market for Indian fashion. 

“The bridal wear market is a consistent one in India because of how sentimental we are about our tradition. We will always have this market and it is also a great time to be in the business as our bridal wears are now being appreciated all over the world,” he adds. 

Referring to the growing market of replicas, he says “Replication has always been a part of the fashion industry, and, now, it’s easier than ever, thanks to social media. But the market these replicas and the designers cater to are different. I think it is the quality of our products that attracts customers and the discerning fashion buyers will always be conscious of that. 

As long as the designers come up with original pieces every season, they shouldn’t be affected by the replicas. I personally think of it as inspiration for creating new and original designs every time.”