Known for his ultra-glamorous and uber-luxe garments designer Nikhil Thampi is a name to reckon with in fashion. The Mumbai-based designer is celebrating 10 years of his label and has come up with a new collection called The Other Realm, where he ventures into the pret line. In an exclusive chat with The Times of India, he talks about his collection, trends and more. Here's an excerpt.
Tell us a bit about your new collection...
NT: The last two years have been such chaos and we didn't know what to do. This collaboration is all about encouraging people to dress up, move out and explore the world in a new light. We wanted to influence the youth to explore the world through this collection. This project came to be me during the pandemic and we were supposed to launch it in 2020. We prolonged the launch and decided to come out with it when the market gets back in action. This is also my 10th year anniversary of the brand therefore it is also a celebratory collaboration. It is called The Other Realm, and it is all about the explorer within you. We are known for our eveningwear but with the collection, we also wanted to get into the high street pret line.
This collection also has a lot of retro influence, tell us about that.
NT: Through this collection, we kind of got into the modern retro kind of vibe. Since the theme was safari, we had to go back to the past and celebrate the past to know how we can proceed in the future. I have never done prints before, so I also wanted to be in a safe zone so that my audience can relate to it instantly.
Your garments always have the element of oomph. What according to you defines the word sexy?
NT: For me, the sex appeal comes in the confidence of a woman. It is about how well can you carry your clothes. We make clothes to create a better version out of a woman. Sexiness for me has never been about less clothes, it is about how you carry yourself. For this collection, we have grabbed the entire spectrum of fashion. We are planning to drop the collection in capsules throughout the year keeping sustainability in mind. So that is our way of conscious fashion where we won't overproduce but divide it into multiple capsule collections that can be used throughout the year.
We can see menswear from your side this time? Is the brand going to further make more menswear pieces?
NT: We have dabbled with menswear in the past where we did a semi-couture range for them. But this is the first time we have tried our hands in the pret line for men. With this particular collection, I wanted to challenge myself and come out in a different light. There is a lot happening around in men's fashion these days. Men are coming out of that safe zone and getting more experimental. They are ready to push the boundaries. We created prints that are more interactive with the audience. They are like a conversation starter.
With big luxury companies investing and buying stakes in designer labels, how do you see the future shaping up for these brands?
NT: I feel more than these established designers, it is the younger talents that need funding and support from such investors. Younger talent needs much more attention and they need to be nurtured. I would suggest that these multinational brands should support younger designers and artisans. It is a good thing that these brands are funding top-notch designer labels in the country but do they really need it? is the big question that needs to be asked.
What all trends do you think will be big this season?
NT: Fashion is in a cycle and it keeps coming back some way or the other. Right now if you see that miniskirts have made a major comeback. These skirts are so much associated with nostalgia. Since we all have been so stuck since these last two years, the only comfort that we had was to go back to nostalgia.
