A design veteran experiments with textiles

The master of minimalism, Rajesh Pratap Singh, chatted with t2 about his Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive 2018 collection that he will show at The St. Regis ramp in Mumbai on August 23. Pratap’s ‘Welcome to Jungle’ is all about being #PlanetPositive and is in collaboration with textile brand TENCEL, which is “produced from sustainably sourced wood by environmentally responsible processes”. 

What can you tell us about the collection?

It’s basically a TENCEL fibre and yarn that we started working with, which is a very sustainable fibre made in Austria. We’ve been spinning it in two-three different ways. We made fabrics in different parts of India with some craft sectors, handloom sectors and also high-tech mills. They wanted me to make an Indian collection for the home market. It’s going to be an interpretation of Indian costumes and clothes from the Indian streets. We are using different kinds of weaves.

All things sustainable is gaining momentum… 

Sustainable is the desperate need right now. It is not just from our industry but every possible industry. We just try to contribute in whatever little way we can. 

What is sustainable for you?

For me sustainable is not a fashion trend. It’s about addressing the problems we have regarding the carbon footprint. The moment somebody says “sustainable fashion”, I don’t really understand much. Every industry will have to contribute. That’s what we have been doing. We never call our clothes sustainable. We just make our clothes. 

So sustainable is a way of life for you? 

It’s not just a way of life, but the only life that we need. Whatever little I can I do… just being conscious of our environment. I tend to spend a lot of time in the mountains, whatever little time I get. I was in Bhutan recently. That is what I am obsessed about right now. We are seeing how to clean up our mountains and deserts, which is very close to my heart. 

Saionee Chakraborty