Gaurav Gupta, the visionary Delhi-based couturier, continues to grace the fashion world with his Spring/Summer 2024 Haute Couture collection, Aarohanam. His short but skyrocketing career has been punctuated by milestones that have solidified his reputation as a design maven. From his illustrious debut at Paris Haute Couture Week in Spring 2023 to crafting custom looks for global icons like Beyoncé, Gupta’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
With Aarohanam, the designer delves deep into the concept of ascension, drawing on the Sanskrit word’s profound spiritual significance. The collection portrays Gupta’s evolution as a designer, focusing on themes of rebirth and enlightenment. It seamlessly marries traditional Indian craftsmanship with futuristic design elements, showcasing his skill in sculpting and textile engineering.
Gupta’s designs embody a spiritual metamorphosis, a journey from darkness to light, from the earthly to the ethereal.The show opens a portal to a realm where the snake sheds its skin, symbolic of rebirth and transformation. The designer weaves a narrative of evolution through his use of colours – black for nothingness, Agni orange for the rising flame, sand for light, and ether blue for infinity. Each hue a thread in the tapestry of enlightenment.
Sculpted metal structures entwine with fluid silhouettes, creating a dance of shadows and light reminiscent of ancient Indian texts. The couturier’s mastery in textile engineering is on full display, with indigenous techniques like Badla, Mukaish, and Zardozi breathing life into the fabrics, greeting luminescence as multi-dimensional crystals catch the light.
The collection resonates with sensuality and sophistication as voluminous hemlines, draped jackets, and sculpted capes grace the runway. Off-shoulder necklines, cutouts, and embellishments evoke a sense of drama and allure, hinting at a myriad of red carpet possibilities.
Central to the theme is the kundalini, symbolised by the coiled snake at the base of the spine, waiting to be awakened by meditation and intent. As the models walk down the runway, the audience is transported on a journey of self-discovery and transcendence. The fusion of traditional Indian techniques with futuristic designs results in a harmonious blend of the old and the new, the earthly and the divine creating a visual harmony that speaks to the soul.
With this show, Gupta solidifies his artistic philosophy and creative vision, inviting us to ascend with him into a new realm of beauty, enlightenment, and sartorial splendour.
