To wear lingerie that fits perfectly, is a dream come true for a woman, and this young NIFT student aims to do just that. 20-year-old Pooja Upadhyay just bagged the Triumph International Award in Mumbai and come October, she will be representing India in the finals at Shanghai.
Designing and art always inspired Pooja, who never thought about a career in fashion until a few years ago. “My father encouraged me to pursue fashion as a career and there has been no looking back ever since.” Though based in Mumbai, Pooja’s maternal and paternal grandparents hail from the state and she is enamoured by what the city has to offer to the world of fashion. “Bengaluru has a huge market for fashion and people are clued in to the proceedings. It’s just a matter of time before the city will be reckoned as a fashion hub in India,” claims the young design student.
The award came as a complete surprise to Pooja. She contested with several people across the country and was chosen in the top ten for the finals. “We had to depict duality in our design. I have combined the dragon and butterfly coming together in my lingerie design. I also had to consider the flow of the garment, since lingerie has to be well-fitting and accentuate a woman’s curves. The idea is to make the garment sensuous, not vulgar.”
Inspired by designers like Alexander McQueen, Ritu Beri, brands like Victoria’s Secret among others, Pooja too aims to launch her own fashion line one day. “Making the cut in this industry is not easy. Apart from a unique sense of design, you also need to have excellent social skills.” One particular designer who inspires her is, “Manish Arora. He was the artistic director for Paco Rabane and that’s very inspiring. Indian designers are being recognised by international brands.”
So what does it take to carve a niche in this fiercely competitive industry? “From what I’ve seen, handmade creations are deeply valued. At the turn of the millenium, trends were leaning towards the sporty side. Solid colours and bold cuts dominated the fashion preference. Now, people are inching towards surface ornamentation. It’s challenging and opens up a window of opportunties.”
Pooja has spent a good number of weeks in interior Karnataka, researching on local art and design. “My personal favourite is the lambani design. I would love to incorporate them in my work in the future.” In her spare time, Pooja loves shopping and reading up on the latest fashion trends. “I also sing, but that’s only in front of my close friends!” adds the bubbly youngster with a laugh.
source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Channels> Lifestyle> Fashion / by Sindhuja Balaji / DC, May 17th, 2012