Complete solution for Indian women: Raghavendra Rathore

Women are definitely the more pampered sex, and the latest buzz on the fashion circuit only proves that. Designer Raghavendra Rathore, known best for his bandhgalas and sherwanis, is returning to his roots with an ethnic line of clothing for women, to be launched in August this year.

“We started with womenswear, but success took us to designing for men instead,” he recalls, adding, “We want to create an accessible product, and for that, we have taken inputs from our clients and incorporated them into the collection.” The Blue Mantra line, which will include saris, salwar kameezes and kurtas, will probably begin at Rs 7,000 for the more casual day wear, and at R 20,000 onwards for richer pieces.

We want to present something that’s slightly different from what’s available in the market today,’ says Rathore. “I’ve decided to stay away from trend-setting fashion and stick to the economics of the business. There is a line of printed saris which have traditional motifs, but are printed in a modern way.”

Rathore also explains that they’ll be sticking to the Indian seasonal cycle, which revolves around the wedding season mostly, instead of trying to mimic the western calendar. He adds that they will also be creating a line of jewellery and accessories to complement the garments. “This brand will be a complete solution for the modern Indian woman.”

Hailing from Rajasthan and with a deep understanding of the artisan skills required to create ethnic products, Rathore is also talking to NGOs to find a way to involve them in the new line. “We’re getting our clothes made in remote places in Rajasthan and Mysore and we’re also talking to NGOs to see how we can involve artisans at the level that we should have maybe done some years ago. We already do that with our menswear kurtas, which are named after the place that they’re made in.”