Samant Chauhan impresses royalty

Young designer Samant Chauhan, a rising star in the Indian fashion designers’

firmament is an alumnus of NIFT New Delhi, and rose to acclaim with three awards in 2004. The following year, young Chauhan scored internationally with an award winning men’s collection at Singapore Fashion week’05 (AYFDC). His passion is natural fibers and he describes his personal style as ‘utopian street-wear’. Textures are created with the use of unusual silk yarns, with the embellishments kept to minimal, making his garments popular with international clientele. Currently Samant Chauhan designed wear are available through premium designer stores in the US, Israel, Moscow, London, and Singapore.

The British Council has chosen Chauhan for its Young Creative Entrepreneur Award Program. Chauhan said, “The British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur Award program was organized at Bal Samand Heritage Resort in Jodhpur . This exclusive event was organized for Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and The Earl of Wessex during their recent visit to Jodhpur and was also attended by the Maharaja and Maharani of Jodhpur and invited guest." Their Royal Highnesses interacted with the selected designers who are part of the British Council’s Young Creative Entrepreneur Award Program. They were very impressed with their creativity, which helped provide an insight into the fashion industry in India, one of the world’s fastest developing and most dynamic economies.

Chauhan is known for his ‘non-violent’ silk a way of life that promotes a near utopian and responsible ways to being fashionable, using and enjoying natural fibres to their fullest. His passion contributed to the revival of the Bhagalpur handloom industry in Bihar with the erstwhile Bhagalpur Silk making a comeback. His signature style titled ‘The Silk Route’ traced the anonymous Bhagalpur Silk to its roots, infusing in it an international dimension, with a colour palette of shades of beige creating a sophisticated and luxurious collection.