The Met Gala. Paris Couture Week. Beyoncé. In simply the final couple of years, Gaurav Gupta’s title has been talked about with every of those trending subjects, and the designer’s swirling creations have taken over the purple carpet. Within the style world, that makes you a legend. However whereas Gupta could sound like a whirlwind success, his story really started 20 years in the past.
Upon graduating from London’s Central Saint Martins faculty, the designer returned to India to launch his namesake style model in 2004. On the time, India wasn’t precisely fashion-forward: the nation’s style trade was dominated by conventional Indian clothes or fundamental kinds impressed by Western style. Gupta’s creations don’t match into both class. As a substitute, the designer attracts upon conceptual themes like mythology, spirituality and surrealism, and his ensuing clothes are equal components dramatic and complicated.
As a substitute of counting on lavish elaborations as many Indian designers are likely to do, Gupta’s robes make an announcement with their sensual draping and sculpted silhouettes, achieved by a mix of conventional Indian craftsmanship and historic methods utilized in European style, like corsetry.
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Amongst his improvements is the sari-gown, a reinvention of the millennia-old Indian garment that Gupta has imbued with the benefit of a night robe. As a substitute of draping it round her physique and pleating the skirt herself, a lady sporting Gupta’s sari solely has to zip it up.
Unsurprisingly, Gupta’s saris are massive in India. The remainder of the world would know him for his signature swirl robes as a substitute. Gupta’s clothes have famously been worn by Megan Thee Stallion on the 2022 Oscars; by Aishwarya Rai on the Cannes Movie Pageant in 2022; by Cardi B on the 2023 Grammys; and most not too long ago, by Mindy Kaling on the 2024 Met Gala. Past the purple carpet, Gupta’s greatest superstar endorsement has come from Beyoncé: the singer wore a number of customized Gaurav Gupta ensembles, together with one of many aforementioned sari-gowns, throughout her Renaissance world tour final yr.
Whereas going viral is usually seen as a short-lived success for style designers, Gupta additionally made his mark on style historical past. In 2023, he grew to become the second Indian designer ever to affix the Paris Couture Week calendar. He was invited by the final word authority of the French style trade, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. In a way, Gupta lived as much as the title that was awarded to him at Rome’s style week, Altaroma, in 2003: the “Way forward for Couture”.
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As a substitute of confining his style fantasy to the closed-off worlds of superstar and high fashion, Gupta has expanded his universe. He has launched a bridal line, a ready-to-wear line, and even menswear designs. Whereas nonetheless based mostly in New Delhi, Gupta additionally intends to carry his model to new markets just like the US, Europe and the Center East. This yr, the designer held a trunk present hosted by the Singaporean retailer Melange.
Under, we caught up with Gupta to study extra about how he’s revolutionising the Indian style trade, and what it’s like being a designer to the world’s greatest stars.
What drives your creativity?
GAURAV GUPTA (GG): I feel individuals who have the reward to be inventive are naturally non secular individuals. Creativity is among the highest types of spirituality. My inspiration comes from the universe, the cosmos, meteors, nature, abstraction, artwork, surrealism, sculpture and artists.
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Lots of your collections draw from mythology, surrealism and fantasy. Why do you assume fantasy is critical to life?
GG: A lot of the world is so mundane. Individuals are caught up in dealing with mundane life that they’re not in a position to see the actual fantasy of what life and past have to supply. We don’t dwell within the surreal and our unconscious. Fantasy is alive on a regular basis, it’s simply that we’d like to have the ability to see it. I feel I used to be born to (present individuals this), not simply as a designer but additionally as an individual.
How do you spotlight India’s wealthy heritage of workmanship in your designs?
GG: I’ve 500 sensible artisans working with me, and we use very intensive Indian methods.Our artisans have turn out to be distinctive artisans in themselves, as a result of we now have taken Indian methods, like zardozi, and made it not look Indian. These sorts of embroidery methods are historical, however we do it in a futuristic approach. Metallic casting has been executed in India eternally, however we’re making Kundalini sticks or a breastplate with it. Draping can be one thing very pure to me; it’s very free and fluid. And draping is Indian. India is among the solely locations the place the nationwide costume, the sari, continues to be being worn after hundreds of years. You don’t see that anyplace else on this planet. India continues to be an historical, dwelling “mindscape”. India is essential to me as a deeper, conceptual, non secular, tribal and ancestral area as effectively.
How has the Indian style trade developed in on a regular basis that you simply’ve run your model?
GG: I’ve been a part of the change. I’m the change. Once I got here to India 20 years in the past, every thing was so conventional. It nonetheless fairly is in some methods, as a result of the Indian bridal market is the most important style market within the nation. Prepared-to-wear, particularly luxurious ready-to-wear, is evolving much more; plenty of worldwide manufacturers are coming into India. India is the following massive luxurious market on this planet, however it’s a difficult market as a result of it’s nonetheless very Indian. It’s by no means going to turn out to be like every other [market in fashion]; it’s at all times going to stay as India. It’s very native. It’s one thing completely different altogether.
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You’ve dressed a few of the greatest stars in each the East and West. Is there a distinction in designing for each?
GG: I’m in the midst of the world—I’m Jap and Western, however on the identical time I don’t outline myself as both. I feel either side are in search of innovation and celebration and freedom and infinity. And they can resonate with these issues once they collaborate with us.
Beyoncé is clearly an enormous fan. How would you describe your collaboration together with her?
GG: It’s surreal and exhilarating, however it seems pure as effectively. Once I began showcasing in Paris, I felt like I used to be at house. And once I’m doing these varieties of garments for Beyoncé—you realize, lots of people on-line even wrote that that is such a fantastic mixture. It feels just like the artwork is discovering its house. I’m a fan of Beyoncé, in totality: how she is, the physique she has, the sunshine she emanates. She has that sense of going past and being infinite.
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What did becoming a member of the Paris Couture Week calendar in 2023 imply to you?
GG: It’s a dream come true for any atelier on this planet. Paris Couture Week is the final word platform for style and artwork, and the approaching collectively of the 2. To showcase on the calendar with manufacturers which were round for a very long time could be very prestigious. I’m honoured to be making historical past.
You’ve run your style label for 20 years now. What are vital qualities to have as a dressmaker to make sure longevity?
GG: Numerous laborious work—there isn’t a shortcut to laborious work. Excessive perseverance. And a powerful perception in your self. Being unique is totally vital; copying others or following traits received’t take you a good distance. And have a stable enterprise mannequin and the most effective individuals working with you. Have a enterprise associate like my brother, who’s superb.
What’s subsequent within the pipeline in your model?
GG: I’m engaged on a couple of collections proper now: India couture, Paris couture, ready-to-wear, the vacation assortment and menswear.
This story initially appeared within the June/July 2024 subject of GRAZIA Singapore and Grazia.Sg.
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