PERO INTRODUCTION The label was launched by Aneeth Arora, a textile graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and a fashion graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Arora is very connected with the traditions of India; the fabrics and shapes of the traditional Indian culture are always present in her creativity, but she is also connected with the moment in which she lives and the global community. Arora still does not like to be tagged as a Fashion Designer and would rather be called a Textile and Dress Maker.
SS16 - Arora's show inspired by Pippi Longstocking, the protagonist of Astrid Lindgren's eponymous series of children's books, became one of the most appreciated presentations at Amazon Indian Fashion Week 2016 Autumn/Winter. Keeping in mind the season the collection is designed for, Arora used woolen fabrics like angora, pashmina, gingham and merino along with embroidery throughout her collection. Khadi, chanderi, and denim with lace details also made significant appearances here and there.
HOW IS PERO INCORPORATING SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR BUSINESS MODEL? Having realised that many of us have old pieces in our wardrobe that we still love and are emotionally attached to, Arora launched ‘Upcycled by péro’, a sub-brand to help people reinvent these items. After the launch of the line, she was inundated with requests to revamp people’s garments. But she was very clear that she only wanted to take up projects that she could connect with emotionally, as she is personally involved in the making of every piece. “I am unable to quote a price or completion time while taking on an assignment like that, because I don’t know what I will end up doing with it,” she says. Arora makes it a point to include upcycled pieces in all of péro’s collections. These garments find their way to her studio from all over the world, before getting a stamp in the form of brand’s signature vivid-hued embroidery, pom poms, tassels or crochet buttons. “They’rev all primary pieces for us, and get the same kind of attention as any other piece from the season,” she says. Her Fall/Winter 2015-16 collection featured discarded military jackets, upcycled with patchwork and medallions, and wool hats, which she had procured from a brand in Italy and later embroidered with signs for peace and love, in keeping with the theme of the collection. In fact, Arora’s favourite silhouette to upcycle seems to be the jacket, as seen in her Spring/ Summer 2013 range; with huge, hand-embroidered poppy flowers in F/W 2016-17; and most recently, on floral trench coats in F/W 2018-19. “A clothing company in New York was shutting down. So, we took its entire stock of trench coats in order to reinvent them in our own way, and that is what you will see in the upcoming collection as well,” she says.
HOW HAS PERO BEEN A CIRCULAR FASHION BRAND?
Arora showcased her Fall-Winter 2019 line at Lakme Fashion Week’s Summer-Resort 2019 edition, but no one in the audience was complaining. Presented in association with The Woolmark Company and Bhuttico, a 75-year-old wool weavers’ cooperative from Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, Arora’s show was all things Pero — warm (woollens, remember?) youthful and all heart. In a pre-show audio-visual clip, Arora spoke about narrating the journey of Merino wool from Australia to the handlooms of Himachal Pradesh. “People overseas have the notion that India is only good with spring textiles. So, we decided to push boundaries and look at traditional woollen textiles,” she says. The Pero team worked closely with the Kullu artisans, modernising their archival textiles known as Pattu, the shawls draped by local women. Recalibrated for a more contemporary take, the colour palette came in shades of blue, khaki, off-white and electric blue. Arora fashioned the rustic woollens into sassy separates with linen-cotton, stripes and checks from West Bengal, mashru stripes from Gujarat, hand-woven silks from Bhagalpur, mulberry silks from south India and chanderis from Madhya Pradesh. Her microcosmic mix of Indian weaves was elevated with pops of colour in the form of local Kullu tapes and borders known as “kushi”, traditionally woven on a miniature loom, which were used as ties and accents on clothes and accessories. Among the steady stream of checked smocks, jaunty jackets, embroidered and fringed pullovers, waffled sweaters, striped trousers and houndstooth jackets were some upcycled plastic tarpaulin trench coats, skirts and bags, imaginatively hand-painted and trimmed with kushi tapes. Adding to the whole #MagicBallOfLove experience were live graffiti artists, skateboarders and a performance by hip hop and house dance crew, Kundu House Project, which kept the energy levels high. Arora says her brand follows the production practice where each piece passes from one craftsperson to the other in its journey to completion, thereby “creating products that have been touched by many hands”. In the process, Pero ends up touching many hearts, too.
HOW PERO COLLABORATES WITH OTHER BRANDS OR ORGANISATIONS FROM OTHER SECTOR? Artisanal chocolate brand All Things Chocolate, known for its unique flavours that range from ‘All Things Date Night' to ‘All things Monday' and ‘All Things Barcelona', had approached Aneeth Arora to work in collaboration her label, and the designer found herself connecting the dots between her season's inspiration and the coveted snack for kids (and adults). Their shared philosophy of handcrafting brought the two brands together. Péro's flavour, ‘All Things Checkered', is a rich Belgian dark chocolate grid with a lemon marmalade and poppy seed centre. The lemon in the bars is reminiscent of old school flavours of popsicles and pickles. What's more, the chocolate bar comes in a hand-stitched Péro checkered sleeve, which can be repurposed to hold secret notes and memorabilia. Aneeth Arora’s “Pero” collection recently collaborated with 180 the Store to offer three very unique takes on two of footwear’s most timeless silhouettes — the adidas Stan Smith, and Birkenstock’s Arizona sandal. With a focus on traditional textile processes and unique Indian craftsmanship, the collaborative venture sees the aforementioned silhouettes outfitted in everything from upcycled fabrics to crocheted flowers, with delicate embroidery helping tie each iteration together in perfect form. Arora also gave her own spin to Nike sneakers for her S/S 2015 line, and collaborated with adidas Originals for the S/S 2017 collection, to create limited-edition pieces.