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French couturier Hemant Sagar unveils India collection
Indo-French designer Hemant Sagar and partner Didier Lecoanet have launched their first collection in India.
Indo-French designer Hemant Sagar and partner Didier Lecoanet have launched their first collection, full of short layered dresses with suede and leather details, multi-purpose jeans and stunning jewellery for the Indian market.
The line marks a first for the couture house that moved to India, and switched to prêt, around three years ago.
"It is a great moment for us," Sagar told IANS. "All of us realise that this takes the company forward and we are very excited."
The line has dresses, tops and tunics in pales and pastels and jeans, which have angular zips at the thighs that can be opened up. There is a lot of play with suede strips and leather that give the clothes a certain edge.
"We have one person in our studio who does just suede weaving," said Sagar, who is of Indo-German descent and has a French passport.
The collection has 24 styles of pant suits, blouses, shirts and skirts and jeans and is priced between Rs.6,000 and Rs.15,000.
There is also a stunning jewellery line in precious and semi-precious stones and rock crystals. One particularly innovative piece has the stones hanging from woven suede.
The piece is large enough to reach almost the waist and is elegantly broad, almost covering the central bosom.
"We have tried to adapt international patterns and styles and play around with just that extra bit for the local market," said Sagar, whose couture house has dressed oil millionaires, Arab princesses, French aristocrats and film stars.
They have also clothed the Barbie doll, including in a mink edged coat.
For the India line - to be sold at New Delhi's Carma boutique - Sagar said he has consciously adapted for the local market.
"There are embroidered evening dresses and little elements that find favour with customers here. It is the sort of fusion I have always believed in," said Sagar, who is also building a 100,000 sq ft production hub, patenting a new bag called Question Mark and planning to start a retail chain across India.
This year he also won an achievement award from Swarovski in Paris for his work in fashion.
After the Carma launch, the line will travel to two more stores in New Delhi and one in Mumbai. "For us, it is entering a new market, a new beginning and we are very excited about it."
