Indian embroideries rule global fashion world

Long before fashion designers like Rahul Mishra, Shane & Falguni Peacock, Manish Malhotra or Ritu Kumar made a mark with their creations globally, several Indian companies have enchanted Donna Karan, Jean Paul Gautier, Vera Wang and Giorgio Armani, with their intricate and beautiful embroidery work.

Over the last four decades, these companies have been serving global fashion by developing embroidery for their famed creations. In 1993, the late Michael Stolzenburg of Escada turned to Indian embroidery for his collection. And the tradition still continues with the label getting their embroidery work done from India. The reason behind roping in Indian artisans from India is because of their skills of weaving delicate embroidery work with utmost finesse.

Carving a niche globally

Whether its model-turned-actor Elizabeth Hurley’s fuchsia pink Versace wedding lehenga, Meryl Streep’s Bill Blass jacket in the 2006 Hollywood hit The Devil Wears Prada or 2014 Emmy award-winning star Julianna Margulies’s black gown by Narisco Rodriquez… all embroideries were created by Adity Designs.

The company was founded by politician Madhu Mehta and his wife Gopi Mehta in Mumbai in 1968. They first worked on the embroidery for eponymous Italian fashion labels such as Gucci and Valentino. In 1974, they decided to venture into the Indian market with bridal and couture wear. However, their work later got ignored, as designers such as Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal and JJ Valaya took the fashion industry by storm.

But when Nitai and his wife Sumangali took over Adity Designs in 1995-96, after his parent’s demise, the duo infused fresh life into the ailing firm by doing the embroidery work for Donna Karan’s home furnishing and clothing range. That opened a gamut of opportunities for the company. Today, their list of international designer clientele includes top names in hot couture - from Versace, Valentino, Marni, Jean Paul Gautier, Bulgari, Michael Kors, Ferragamo, Escada, Mary Katrantzou, Jimmy Choo, Vera Wang to Tory Burch. The duo looks after the embroidery work for 80 percent of their designs and creates 50-400 designer pieces per style.

The company firmly believes in blending Indian art into foreign styles. For Versace in 1998 when Donatella had just taken over, Adity created a full men’s and women’s collection with Kutch mirror work, badla and thread embroidery for tunics, suits, shorts, belts, shirts, suits, lapels and shoes. The same year, their paisley and Kashmiri resham work created a lasting impression on Donna Karan. Apart from providing embroidery work, the duo says that it is important to ensure use of environment-friendly materials and get Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification.

In 2012, the company launched their accessories, belts, handbags, jewellery and scarves collection under their in-house label, Forest of Chintz, where they merge Indian and international motifs. The collection is retailed in USA, Japan and Hong Kong.

Designs that wow global brands

Designer Anand Gupta is known for his handiwork and perfect cuts globally. He has been associated with Italian labels such as Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, Edoardo Marini, Max Mara, Bluemarine, and Etro. He was known as one of the most sought after men’s beachwear designers in North Italy. After doing his BSc from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, he moved to New York in 1984 and worked in the exports industry. In 1986 he returned to India and launched the Pretty Lady label and did his first assignment for Enrico Coveri, a design house in Florence.

Gupta, popularly recognized among the fashion fraternity with his couture label Anand G launched in 2012, caters to his global clients from a 9,000 square foot factory based in Mumbai and his 300 square foot studio works for local customers by appointment only. One of the most challenging assignments, he has handled includes the interpretation of the print in micro sequins for Italian designer Gai Mattiolo. The work tool almost 40 days to prepare the artwork, sticking sequins, and filling out the single thread.

He has worked on garments for Kristian Aadvenik, Valentino, Laura Biagiotti, D&G, Tracy Boyd and presented collections for British designer Stella McCartney. In 2012, his haute couture elbow-length sheer gloves with delicate embroidery for the spring/summer shows in Italy featured among collections for big buyers such as Armani, John Galliano and Roberto Cavalli. And Naomi Harris, the Bond Girl of Hollywood hit flick Skyfall, wore an Anand G mini in 2011 at a London event.

The Anand G label is famous for its high fashion apparels that include grand Indian and western bridal wear, occasion wear and evening wear. The high point of Anand G label is the exquisite embroidery created in-house by his own team of embroiderers, cut and fits with Italian sensibilities and technical expertise with use of best of materials and fabrics.