Sahil Kochhar Phool Mandi Winter 2015

The moment i realized that Sahil Kochhar would be presenting his collection Phool Mandi Festive Winter 2015 at Lakme Fashion Week, Mumbai ... i was dismayed !! ... Just because he has been showcasing in Delhi since his debut collection, and we made a great personal connection post his first show, i always anticipated him showing at the capital's FDCI event ... In other words, i selfishly hoped he always showed in Delhi ... because we don't attend the Mumbai fashion circuit :p ... and well to be really honest, he is one of the brightest upcoming talent in the country !! ... His debut show a year and a half back, knocked the wind out of the jaded frows, editors and designers alike .... I think it was the most recorded show on social media that season ... and his industry mentor, the legendary designer Rohit Bal gave him a standing ovation and bear hug after his final bow !! ... And all of a sudden, the fashion fraternity had the words Malakars (garland makers) and Sholapith, a craft form from West Bengal on their lips ! ... Such was the artistry and sheer mastery he had .... over the 3D hand cut embroidery, and other exquisite surface details over silhouettes .... which was as modern in form as was timeless !! ... From that first collection, "Phuler Tora" (bouquet of flowers) to this latest one, his fourth, "Phool Mandi" (flower market) ..... one senses quite a vast, albeit rapid journey ... and we caught up with our young friend to talk about his tryst with flower power and his dreams of the perfect future show :)

Sahil Kochhar Phool Mandi AW 2015 Lakme Fashion Week

Sahil Kochhar

Sahil graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in 2006 .... where his graduation collection won him the award for the Most Creative Collection .... He was also honored with an award for Best Academic Performance during the program ... After his graduation, he started working with one of India’s greatest designers – Rohit Bal .... where he handled design for over 6 years and with the support and encouragement of Mr. Bal started his own label in 2012.

He won and showcased at the Grazia Young Fashion Awards Show 2015 at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai ... and we asked him how he felt about the award :) 

"It's one my first accolades so it will always be special to me and it's a big confidence booster to know that your work is being appreciated."

The label Sahil Kochhar offers both Womenswear and Menswear .... It is fresh, contemporary, yet have an old world charm inspired by the rich cultural heritage of India ... and the artistry of our craftsmen.

Phool Mandi AW 15

"Phool Mandi" as the name suggests is a celebration of the beautiful flower markets of India with their exquisite and exotic array of flowers .... He says that his inspiration stems from a memory of the first visit to the flower market "delightfully fragrant, a treat for the eyes".... And that was exactly what he delivered in a tightly edited eight ensemble capsule .... an intoxicating floral feast with his signature layering and play of textures .... which is something that has been a constant style of his since the first show !! .... As one of our favourite models, Archana Akhil Kumar opened in a Cobalt Blue laser cut Neoprene dress (which will grace the red carpet very soon no doubt), i was trying to take in the stunning Neoprene dupatta in reverse applique technique (two or more fabrics are layered and stitched together, then sections of the fabric are strategically cut away to reveal the colours beneath, essentially creating an original textile ) .... Next came a grid of delicately hand embroidered silk floss flowers on a Neoprene Kurti-Sweatshirt hybrid and i knew i wanted that instantly !! .... Just the perfect thing for the upcoming Delhi winters :) ... Super layering in this look with the black cotton silk dress and platform biker boots peeking from underneath .... By the third look, it was a layering master class with the most demented beautiful brown pair of biker platforms !! ... A black bolero in Neoprene with laser cut details ... and an appliqued asymmetrical skirt in Neoprene and Organza ... lovingly encased a Linen wrap top embroidered with blooming flowers .... And then came the glitter of delicate Mukaish embroidery on Chanderi silk  ... What a bevy of elements in such a small capsule !! ... Structured, edgy, confident with a hint of androgyny and at the same time delicately femme perfectly sums up the collection :)

Collection Note 

The flowers have been translated into our version of reverse applique, with water colour painted fabric, emulating the beautiful hues and shades of blooming buds. They have also been rendered in the classic Indian embroidery technique of Mukaish twinkling under the lights.
Jackets adorned with colourful silk floss satin-stitch embroidered florets, coming together with our signature serrated edged panels, joined together with machine faggoting revealing flashes of skin.
The colour palette of bottle green and cobalt blue is carefully blended into classic combinations with beige and black. The collection culminates with beige coming together with a myriad of colours, mimicking the fascinatingly colorful floral arrangements of the flower market.

Sahil Kochhar Phool Mandi AW 2015 Lakme Fashion Week

"India and its culture is a vast ocean of inspiration with a gamut of arts, crafts, festivals, bazaars, rituals and colours. This collection is an ode to one of its many chapters. " 

- Sahil Kochhar

How was the techniques and silhouette different compared to Haro Barno, Dhoop Chaon or Phuler Tora (his earlier collections), we asked him .... "I feel with every season my work is evolving and I am really enjoying it as I am rediscovering myself .... The techniques and silhouette in every show is different from the other .... like "Phuler Tora" had a lot more traditional technique with a blend of classic Indian and modern silhouette ..... whereas with "Phool Mandi" the techniques are modern and the silhouettes are structured and edgy .... But at the same time they are all connected .... as the inspiration is always drawn from our roots .... the incredible art and craft of our country"

Sahil Kochhar is one of the most original young designers that our generation looks up to today, because of his superb showcasing of Indian crafts in a young modern language .... We asked him about his passions and future dreams, and this is what the design prodigy said as a parting thought :

"I am a passionate thinker, dreamer and completely love drama. Just waiting for the right opportunity to get out there and show, how dramatics can be incorporated to make a fashion show a memory of a lifetime, and that's exactly what my future plan is." ... Any message for the new designers waiting to graduate into the world of fashion, we asked :) .... "Do not get influenced by what's working for someone else. Don't set restrictions for yourself, believe in what you are doing and you will know that it's all possible." .... Sahil is on Facebook .

Facebook : Sahil Kochhar
Shop it on :  Style Arrest

Hope you enjoyed our tete a tete with Sahil, until next time :)

DSB