“Our love affair with museums and art continues to inspire us. This time, it was a walk through the galleries of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Among several inspiring works, one made a deep impression, Dutch artist Jan Davidz de Heem’s Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase( 1650-1683 ). The detail and realism in this rather small painting is breath-taking. It made its way recently into our home on a magnified customized wallpaper and it’s the first thing we look at every morning with our first cup of coffee, our best part of the day.
It’s no coincidence then that it became the starting point of our design process for Autumn-Winter. We’ve worked our graphic sensibilities to make a collection cascading from florals to origami like geometric patterns on rich taffeta, silk velvets and organza. At the heart of every collection lies the texturization we like to give our textiles. We revived our intricate trapunto quilting and an army of scissor wielding hands have cut petals and discs, squares and trellises in fabric and metallic faux leather to create the surfaces that embellish the pieces.
The shapes are luxe-modern – off shoulder jumpsuits, voluminous winter coats, sportswear inspired sweatshirt dresses and tops, layered with transparent trenches and ruffled evening blouses – dark muted glam separates that can be styled uniquely.
We love our clothes to tell a story and for our collections to be universally wearable, and we hope to have done the same this season.
From art, to heart, with soul. “
About Pankaj and Nidhi:
Pankaj graduated with top honors from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (N.I.F.T.). He won the Uma Nath Gold Medal for topping academics and the Ritu Kumar; Award for Best Graduating Collection 1995. He also won the first Smirnoff International Fashion Award in 1994.
After that, he worked with one of India’a leading designers as Head of Design for 10 years. During his tenure there, he met and married his colleague Nidhi, who is a bright and creative alumnus of N.I.F.T. She worked with one of India’s leading Export Firms, The Creative Group which designs & produces for some of the biggest labels in Europe.
In October 2010 they won the Grand First Prize at the International Apparel Federation’s International Fashion Award at the World Apparel Convention in Hong Kong. They were the winners of the iconic International Woolmark Prize, 2012, India.
In August 2012 the husband and wife duo was chosen as Grand Finale designers, a first for one of India’s younger talents, for Lakme Fashion Week where their collection was received with a standing ovation. They have been honored with several Elle Style Awards, the most recent and most prestigious of which was Elle Designer of the Year 2012. The others have been Elle Shape Shifters for 2011, Elle Best Women’s Prêt-a-porter in 2009 and Elle Best Debutant Designer in 2008.
Address:
Shop No. 1, Turning Point Building, 16th Road,, Khar West, Mumbai
33, Altamount Rd, Tardeo, Mumbai,
DLF Emporio, Delhi
Kila, Seven Style Mile, Mehrauli, New Delhi,
Instagram: @pankajandnidhi
Facebook: Pankaj and Nidhi
For More Information:
Varun Pratap
varun@quirkindia.com
9999405770
Rushil Kapoor
9958670413