Freelance Fashion Designers

2011-07-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

Freelance Fashion designer Paromita talks to Fashion Designers Guild.

What have you been up to since graduating from NIFT Kolkata since 2004?

I’m a freelance fashion designer, and I’m also doing my own collection, which is based on Indian hand loom fabrics across the country . The collection is called Fragrance of the Soil and this is completely dedicated to the well being of the weavers across the country . The money raised from this is being used in the basic amenities facilitation of those weavers. Moreover giving them a hope that the demand for their hand weaved fabrics is still there and improving through the use of them in the modern and contemporary cloths.

I heard you have a new project in the works as well.

It’s a personal label called Urban Purple.This has two divisions 1 .Which is theme based hi fashion garments and the fabrics used in those are completely hand loom which is weaved by weavers of different part of India . 2 . The second division is completely commercial designs and i have kept this division for young and happening customers who loves to wear t-shirts and other knitted dresses with eye catching graphics and literature .This is for the mass production and I am planning to distribute them across the stores in India. The T-Shirts and other dresses range from Rs.799 to Rs1299 which students and young people can afford to have it.3. I am also running Design Studio which catters to the Clients across the globe where in I help them making their line sheet and assist them in developing their Tech Pack . This needs a lot of concentration as every client is different and so as their line sheet.

Your entrepreneurial spirit reminds me of Ritu Beri and Monish Malhotra of India and like them many more. Any plans to follow in her footsteps and try out for “ Lakmi India Fashion Week?”

I think it’s great — you get a lot of publicity, everyone’s career just takes off, you’re a celebrity. However for me, the timelines and the stress — I can’t imagine doing something in one day and if you mess it up, then [she runs her finger across her throat in a cutting gesture]. I sympathize with them. Maybe later on, as I mature and get more experience and can handle it, but right now, no plans for a couple of years.

I love the short dresses that you have done — it’s sexy as a mini without being too revealing.

This is part of my contemporary line. I haven’t seen a skirt like this, and I guess that’s why I’m making clothes — I want to make stuff I haven’t seen. I like pieces that a lot of sizes and types can wear. Like these short dresses — it can be club wear or you can wear it out to dinner. It depends on how much you dress it up or dress it down.

It’s Fantastic. I want that skirt

We can arrange that.

Where can people snap up a Paromita Das original?

If someone is interested in purchasing a Paromita Das styles featured on my website which is on the process of making its Cart and display soon on my Website paromitadas , I encourage them to contact me through e-mail at info@paromitadas.com and we can discuss measurements and price.

I couldn’t tell. But you’re getting more sophisticated.

Yeah. Your style grows. I wear fun things and funky things to try them out. Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, where’d you get that?’ I’m like, ‘I put it together.’ I don’t think you need to go and get an expensive label just to have a certain style. People need to buy their Abercrombie or their American Eagle — [they don't want it if it] doesn’t have a logo or a label on it. That’s tacky. You can pick something from a vintage store, pick something from a boutique, put it together and that’s your style — or, you can make it!

I must visit. And the Purple Tee?

The Astro Boy tee is from Uniqlo. They did an anime T-shirt line. Chloe Sevigny was wearing this one in an ad, and I said, I need this T-shirt. I will hunt [to] the end of the earth to find this T-shirt.

Speaking of designers, who is your favorite?

Well my favorite are many i do not follow a particular segment of designs .Any designs that appeals to me. For me any designer who makes cloths which is wearable on daily life and a person can wear it at any event any time without having hiccups of how it would look on me is the designer of my choice. Being a designer you need to be creative at the same time look at the other persons prospective and give a right fashion solution . There are number of designers who do like this and they sell in good numbers because it appeals the general customers and at this moment the customers are very conscious about being in style.

Purple Tee is doing well! What’s the story behind that success?

I made this for my casual wear collection. It was called Future Perfect, and it appeals the young and happening around the city and it says something about every one with its stunning graphics , appearance and one liners. Just like tantra it is going to be a big hit across the country.

What inspires you?

Social affairs. But mostly the news. sounds strange but most of the time the current news and events that happens around us affect us in many ways and after all we are part of the society and live within it . I do not have to go out to get inspired for my designs rather the inspiration comes to me through news and current affairs. Secondly i am very fond of slow music and classical music so most of the time when i am stressed up i listen to the Indian classical music and during some point of time it is a big stress booster and also gives me inspiration to think something beyond the Musicians inspire fashion. I find a lot of my style icons are boys, and I take that look and translate it into a woman’s outfit or a girl’s outfit.

And those icons are?

Hari Prasad Chourasia ,Pandeet Bheemsen Joshi , Shiv Kumar Sharma and most importantly my father in law Guru Sri Horamohan Khuntia . I am fortunate to be coupled with Sashi who is the son of Great Tabla player . My In laws famely is a family of Musicians.

If you could dress anybody in the world, who would it be?

Obviously, I would have loved to have dressed Madhuri Dixit ,for the reason is I always got fascinated with her dance and during my childhood I always try to immitate her dance steps. She has always been my all time favorite actress whom i can think of being an ideal person . In Mens ofcours the Big -B Amitabh Buchhan.