Samyukta Nair’s sleepwear label Dandelion has had a sombre, global aesthetic so far. Param Sahib’s design aesthetic, on the contrary, is more flamboyant and vibrant. He calls himself ‘the maximalist designer’ and his bridal wear is anything but subdued. When these two creative minds decided to collaborate, they knew they had to step out of their comfort zone and meet midway to roll out a collection that spells cheer.
The new collection, called Hurrah Hindustan, marks Dandelion’s foray into daywear. Think loungewear that can be dressed up or down, to beat the blues of extended work-from-home routine.
Coordinated pyjama sets, asymmetric jumpsuits, tiered and maxi dresses, ruffled shorts and kimono-inspired tops are all part of the line. Hurrah Hindustan’s USP are its quirky prints with motifs inspired by Indian history and culture.
“We chose five prints — the ‘King of Hearts’, ‘Queen D of Dandelion’, ‘Technicolor’ prints inspired by tassels and ladis, the ‘Elephant Whisperer’ with motifs inspired by elephants in royal processions of yore and temple visits, and ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’ where the motifs are reminiscent of old Indian stamps,” says Param.
Samyukta and Param were clear that they wanted a home-grown collection which would be modern and yet rooted in Indian history: “We are Indophiles who take pride in Indian culture. It was challenging to give that nostalgia-tinted cultural ethos a modern twist,” says Samyukta.
The sharing of ideas, and finalising of colour palette, silhouettes and prints mostly happened online as Mumbai-based Samyukta and Ludhiana and Delhi-based Param collaborated virtually during lockdown. “2020 forced everyone to look inward and emphasise more on the homefront. In India, sleepwear is a small segment and there is a tendency to wear something old. With a lot of people confined to home and wanting clothing that’s comfortable and cheery, there was a need to re-look sleepwear and loungewear,” says Samyukta.
The relaxed silhouettes and pop of colour and prints, they hope, will find enough takers. The ensembles are priced under ₹5,000: “We have used 100% cotton and the garments are easy to wash. The idea is not to buy too many clothes but buy ones that last long,” says Param.
Hurrah Hindustan is on dandeliondreams.co.
