Narendra Kumar Ahmed interview

(In the Bengal Post, today)

The three tall, slim male models stepped slowly on to the platform. Gracefully, gently, they knelt, hands resting on knees, bodies straight, eyes watching what the two kimono-clad young women were doing. It was a version of the elegant tea ceremony so beloved of the Japanese, with its fluid movements and powerful significance. The men wore wrap blouses over pants of different cuts – the first very slim and churidar-like, the second fitted and formal, the third the traditional Japanese hakama, or wide, pleated pajamas. Then, standing up, facing forward, the men shed their wraps to show off a new line of Japanese-inspired jackets: slim and flowing-lapelled, fitted and buttoned and long, lean and bow-tied, the last perhaps most Oriental and yet very Indian in its silhouette. This was the introduction to Narendra Kumar Ahmed’s latest collection, created with a strongly Kurosawa-influenced flavour channeling the samurai ethos from Shadow Warrior to celebrate the designer’s ten years in the fashion industry.

One of the first batch of students graduating (1990) from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi, Nari, as he is familiarly known, has had a varied and interesting career. He has worked with master designer Tarun Tahiliani, been part of a number of prestigious industry collaborations, launched numerous lines – department stores, the prêt market, corporate wear and high-end designer garments, and has flagship stores in Mumbai, Bangalore, Gurgaon and elsewhere in India and abroad. He has worked with style magazines and Bollywood films, and has plans to extend his creativity into jeans, home décor and accessories. All along, Nari has maintained that fashion is not merely an elitist concept. As he has said, “I don’t see why designer clothes can’t be affordable. Fashion is not just meant for the rich. To me, fashion has to be a democratic process and I want every woman to be able to wear my creations.”

Known for his well-cut jackets and fluid lines in meticulous tailoring, Nari acknowledges that from a commercial perspective, what sells best is usually Indian-wear. “In garment design, you are seeing a shift towards a greater sense of westernisation, as a major shift. This appeals to a newer, younger generation, since “Not everyone wants to wear something so embroidered and elaborate. A lot of designers that traditionally did Indian clothing are now doing western.” But to achieve that is not always easy, he understands, saying that ‘good’ western wear is all about “cutting and fitting. If you can cut a western outfit someone can wear, you can make a statement out of simplicity.”

This shift in sensibility and style is, as Nari says, “dictated by social trends. After all, people are going out every day, they have careers, they want to stand out but still stay simple and elegant. What is best for them is clothing that can go from work to evening. A lot of it is dictated by what women want, work-wise, mirroring their personal evolution.” And he quickly clarifies that ‘going out’ means “having a sensibility that is driven by a work ethos and not just the tea set”. Budgets, too, have changed. “Clothes are less flashy; there is more spent on travelling, seeing the world, except for big occasions like weddings – and even here it is all much pared down. There is a marked differentiation, with the high-end getting higher, as seen in couture shows, and the ready-to-wear getting more mass market and minimalistic.” Nari believes that even couture, which “caters to more Indian taste, and is an euphemism for weddings and elaborate occasions, have evolved, changed, with often a cocktail party becoming bigger than the actual wedding itself. This calls for more western wear, like gowns and cocktail dresses.”

His own fashion ethic, he explains, “has always been influenced by architecture, by new shapes and forms, like those of architect Zaha Hadid – she inspired me long before most people in India discovered her.” This translates to “very tailored, cut, sharp lines, a kind of transition from architecture into sculpture.” Earlier, his work was about “cutting around the body, now it is more moulding, a softer shape.” And today he finds plenty of scope for lateral growth. There is excitement in his voice as he speaks. “Today when people see you as a signature, it can be extended to so many forms and shapes – interiors, stores, shoes, bags, home, etc. It is, after all, an aesthetic that you build which is your signature, especially today, now, which is the best time to do that exploration.”

A small part of the exploration and journey is the magical world of movies. But it is not a realm Nari wants to spend too much time and mindspace on. He says frankly, “We started doing Bollywood movies (like Prince, Fashion, Aladin, Bees Saal Baad and Baabul) because it was a great vehicle for a designer. But what we are doing generally is moving into working on personal wardrobes for actors. There is no time today to sit on a set and deal with a movie shoot.” For him, celebrities are frequent clients, but he gets the “greatest satisfaction if people who are seen and heard ask for a Narendra Kumar outfit to go out in! That is far more rewarding than working in films, where life is hectic and time schedules are stressful.” For him and his team of designers, “It is time for us to look at brands and brand building. We can’t do brands and films together.”

The future is certainly bright, since apart from his various brands and planned extensions, Nari is also working on a “new print based line and a natural textile based brand, looking at various niches instead of just catering to just a huge mass market.” In addition, he is almost ready with a “jeans line that appeals to the intellect rather than just the body – younger people want to wear jeans that are more interesting for the mind, so we have been conceptualising an idea around the concept that the inside is the outside, reflecting who you, the user, are as a person.” This will be launched at Fashion Week this month and be called Killer Nari. “For us, icons have been people like Che Guevara, a bit rebellious, showing all the while that we are proud to be Indian!”