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Temples, Japanese photography in Soni's collection
Designer Ashish Soni's fashion week collection this year has been inspired by Japanese photography and Buddhist temples; and their influence on his work is apparent - the lines are clean, stark, Zen-like in modesty.
Designer Ashish Soni's fashion week collection this year has been inspired by Japanese photography and Buddhist temples; and their influence on his work is apparent - the lines are clean, stark, Zen-like in modesty.
Round-collared shirts for men, largely in white and beige, some with a hint of crinkle or a dab of coral, are juxtaposed against black, shoulder-less gowns for women, with delicate work on textures and very little obvious ornamentation. There is a casual, clubby feel to the collection, though the women's line has a hint of more rigid formality.
"Celebrities and glitzy people striding in trendy outfits with a glass of champagne are great. But to me, fashion is something a little more serious than that. It is about ideology, a way of life or how to be free," Soni said.
The 'as' label launched by the brother-sister team of Ashish and Smita Soni, is synonymous with elegance and chic. In keeping with that image, their collection for Spring-Summer 2006 effortlessly balances the serene and the radiant with the very simple and elegant.
Soni's latest collection is an upshot of the work of a Japanese fine art photographer called Yoshimitsu Naga Saka. The collection explores the stark contours of a Buddhist temple in the colours of monasteries intermingled with black, ecru and white.
"I was extremely taken aback by the serenity and radiance born of the Buddhist temples that he had photographed and I immediately drew energy from his visuals. The pages (of the book) focus on Kaoyasan, a complex of Buddhist monasteries and temples on Mount Koya (in Japan)," said Soni.
Casual shirts in white and beige dominate the men.s collection. Collared- and round neck- shirts with minimal fuss stand out. There is a predominance of stripes in muted tones of the base, with just a dash of coral, mauve thrown in.
There is something about the colour white which gives a cool, fresh, understated look of elegance. It is serene and cooling. The 'as' collection makes use of white in an exquisite manner, with shirts practically breathing freshness.
The women's collection is a tad dressier, though the quiet elegance remains.
There are Edwardian jackets, Empire line dresses and over-sized, billowing skirts. The collection takes a cue from tailored pieces. Crisp silhouettes with modern detail define the range. The keyword is volume - the collection is replete with floaty shapes that burst out from under tight little jackets.
There is a predominance of solid black and earth - the colours of severity. That is coupled with the vintage beauty of embroidery, delicate in its feel and powerful in its impression. Soni uses embellishment in an almost austere manner. The emphasis is on form and shape, more than ornamentation.
The sheer simplicity of the garments, with just an allusion to adornment is what makes this collection memorable.
