Thanks to platforms like the India Fashion Week, our city designers seem to be making it big in the international arena. Sabyasachi Mukherjee is eyeing the New York Fashion Week this year after his success in Milan in 2004 and Anamika Khanna is set to debut on the London Fashion Week ramp in a couple of months. Designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh, however, seems to be concentrating more on the mainstream market than global runways.

The designer, currently in London, is testing waters in the UK and Europe before she launches her line of separates there. Pieces from her autumn-winter 2005-06 line have been further edited and distilled to suit the European market and is scheduled to hit stores in the UK in October. The unedited collection, however, is already available at stores in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Kenya, Switzerland and the US, apart from 18 shops in India.

“The collection is aimed at people who respect clothing as a piece of true craft. It works on bridging the gap between Indian traditional craftsmanship and contemporary style,” says Kiran.

She adds: “Nothing has excited me in a long time, I’m happy to be nervous and excited at the same time. While I may not make it a success the first time, I know I’ll emerge having learnt about a whole new world of fashion up close. It’s great to be back to the core of what I set out to do.”

The picture left sees model Bidita in one of Kiran’s outfits from the separates collection, which the designer says is a personal favourite.

“My favourite is the wrap skirt that works as a scarf. It can be worn over blue jeans or even as a shawl over a kurta. Simple pieces that one can wear anywhere in the world, and feel good.”

Picture by Pabitra Das