afsana
afsana A collection to usher in the pre-festive season
The evening light gathers on the palace floor. The mystery of night is in the air. There is a sense of expectation of what lies ahead. Invitations awake memories and stir excitement. It is a moment to savour, to think what to wear, to feel feminine, to anticipate the party, to dream, to enjoy the warmth that comes from the confidence of looking good. Afsana means ’Story’ in Urdu. The collection speaks of many stories. It evokes nostalgia and a romanticism that draws on the past. It is inspired by chintz that dazzled Europe in the 18th century when London and Paris discovered for the first time the boldness of colour achieved by prints on cotton that had been hammered until they glowed. The rolls of chintz in floral motifs were brought to Europe on the ships of the East India Company and cut into the flowing dresses that were the pride of any woman of the period. The collection, designed by Mandeep Nagi, draws on prints from vintage textile pieces and translates the motifs into embroideries, patchwork or fresh prints on fine silk blends or sheer organza. Earthy tones of pale yellow and brown are complemented with lilac ad sea green. The cloud blue Nadia cape with hand embroidered three dimensional flowers and the flame orange Raisa kurta provide a splash of colour to celebrate the pre-festive mood. The collection comes in fluid silhouettes and kurta, pyjama, dupatta, sari and blouses can be used in versatile combinations. Kurtas in a sheer fabric can be worn separately or used as a semi-transparent layer that throws a veil over the print or design motif beneath. An innovative interpretation of chintz floral prints into glass bead tassels forms a highlight of the collection. Translucent glass beads have been shaped by hand into three dimensional flowers and leaves to form embellished bouquets. To create a contrast between the historic and the contemporary, the collection draws on polka dots and stripes as abstract forms that balance the floral motifs.
Islava kurta, uliana dupatta
Over time, French and English artists influenced chintz design. They brought in elements such as architectural pillars with scrolling vines and clusters of flowers. The floral prints in the Uliana dupatta and Iona sari have been taken from an old English textile dated 1835.
Iona blouse, kiril saree
The chintz, that inspires this dupatta, was a revelation for its colour and beauty to 18th century Europe. The motifs were mainly bold florals scattered across the fabric. The Vera dupatta draws on a vintage chintz from the late 18th century.
Petia kurta, yeti pyjama, vera dupatta
Taisiya kurta, anfiza pyjama, ezhda dupatta
A mood of reflective calm is created with this Nadia cape in smoke blue sheer organza. Cut-out flowers in an abstract design and embellished with beads are scattered across the fabric.
Taisiya kurta, albina pyjama, liliya dupatta
Agafya kurta, kladia kurta, anfiza pyjama
The East India Company based in Leadenhall Street, London, wrote excitedly to get more. “The greatest ladies will wear chintz for upper garments as well as for petticoats…you can never make or send us too many of them”, they said in a letter to India.
Chintz has inspired these floral motifs on the sheer organza of the Olga dupatta. It has been further embellished with hand embroidered glass beads.
Alyona kurta, arina pyjama, olga dupatta
Yana blouse, zenya saree
Calina kurta natural
Lizave kurta natural
Inna kurta peach
Taisiya kurta natural-tea
Esfir kurta pale yellow-brown
Matrona kurta cloud blue
Vora kurta lime
Iselle kurta sea green
Islava kurta haze
Raisa kurta flame
Anya kurta pale orange
Petia kurta dark blue
Alyona kurta grey
Sueta kurta brown
Klava kurta grey
Kladia kurta dirt brown
Alva kurta lilac
Agafya kurta pale yellow
Tasya dress mud brown
Songya dress dark green
Nadia cape cloud blue
Orna cape dark green
Morley cape natural
Lesya pyjama natural tea
Yeti pyjama rose gold
Albina pyjama mud brown
Makxim pyjama peach
Rufina pyjama flame-natural
Liam pyjama sea green
Ochika pyjama dark green-natural
Sarisha pyjama blue
Masha pyjama indigo
Arina salwar grey
Anfiza pyjama pale yellow
Aira skirt mud brown
Amanda skirt indigo
Yeva skirt yellow
Carla skirt grey
Crystal scarf natural
Nicole scarf cloud blue
Alyra dupatta cloud blue
Allen scarf multi
Julia scarf multi
Yulia dupatta grey
Uliana dupatta mint
Carter scarf mud brown
Zaveta dupatta lilac
Vladi dupatta dark green
Sela scarf grey
Liliya dupatta dirt brown
Nadine dupatta natural
Olga dupatta natural
Abbie scarf mud brown
Vera dupatta mud brown
Ezhda dupatta natural tea
Ilari saree yellow
Osya saree light haze
Gena saree grey
Nastya saree lilac
Iaisia saree natural-multi
Kiril saree haze
Feodora saree dark green
Luiza saree mud brown
Zenya saree dark blue
Darya blouse flame natural
Eve blouse blue natural
Idris blouse stone
Kaira blouse dark green
Yana blouse mud brown
Inka blouse black
Klim blouse old rose
Grigori blouse grey
Madeline blouse dark blue
Grisha blouse pale yellow
Iona blouse blue multi
Core clutch bag gold-green
Zest potli bag tea-dull haze
Crush potli bag grey
Candy clutch bag multi
Samsara sling bag multi
Origami potli bag dark green
Chapman clutch bag gold-silver
Ruby sling bag fuschia-orange
Origami potli bag cream
Shell clutch bag lime
Spike sling bag charcoal
Bob shoulder bag dark grey
Lyla potli bag midnight bloom
Freya sling bag blue-multi
Sand shoulder bag gold
Blush necklace pink
Billyball necklace yellow
Wine necklace copper
Flora necklace multi
Orange weed necklace multi
Sun square necklace light yellow
Bud necklace lilac
Orchid necklace green
blossom necklace blue
Ring flower necklace copper
Vein necklace natural
Gold bloom necklace gold
Sequence squares necklace gold