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This Delhi designer serenades verses like he does silhouettes
Designer Pranav Mishra, co-founder of fashion label Huemn, is also a poet who romances Hindi, Urdu and English words in his own unique way. Here’s how he balances two worlds.
Phir bhi, aadmi koshish karta hai, ghista rehta hai, seelan mein bheegi kissi maachis ki tilliyon ki tarah, rishto ko — naa jaane kaunsi jal jaaye, naa jaane kiss kone mein koyi aag bachee hai
These are words by Pranav Mishra, the 32-year-old co-founder of fashion label Huemn.
“This is the brutal me. When you talk about fashion, you also take your consumer in mind. You are developing a product you are trying to sell. Of course, it has my design philosophy involved. But, when it comes to writing, it’s all me...it’s a relief. At the same time, this is a great way to connect with people — especially, when people get it, and they laugh with you, when they sort of get emotional with you. It’s about building a new connection without any walls in between,” he says.
Mishra has been writing since his school days in Lucknow, and remembers penning down his thoughts in eighth grade, also inspired by his writer father.
The ‘other’ side of Mishra will manifest itself at a poetry reading in Delhi on Wednesday (September 20) .
“I usually write in Hindi, but mainly, I write in a language which is the street language of today. I don’t like to romanticise the idea of living life. In fact, I can only write when I am surrounded by chaos. I listen to loud music, and I don’t give my brain the time to process what I am thinking. I don’t pay attention to the words..it’s mostly like how we talk and how we generally think, that’s how it comes out on paper. ”
Mishra counts Charles Bukowski and his work, Like A Flower In The Rain, instrumental in his own way of writing. “It changed my life a lot, because of the brutality of the thought. There’s no filter, no fear of people judging you or finding out your insecurities. It is really empowering,” he says. Late Urdu poet Jaun Elia and American author Ernest Hemingway also made an impact.
“ When it comes to Hindi, the biggest challenge I face is that there’s a fine line of talking about relationships,
lovemaking, intimacy fantasies — and making it sound true, not crass.. .I don’t want my writing to be surreal. I don’t even like to call it poetry.” Mishra says.
And, how does he balance these two creative sides? “When I am working on design, I can’t write. I am already approaching a (fashion) show and there’s a lot happening. These are parallel lives that I have. I am into marketing when it comes to fashion...I like to sell it. I take deep interest in campaign and image creation. But, when it comes to poetry, I don’t like to talk too much of the process,” he adds.