Karishma Shahani

Designer Karishma Shahani's eponymous fashion line has a little bit of everything. The label began with Karishma's graduation from the London College of Fashion in 2010 and is based in Pune, India (also the country of its production). Each design draws on the multi-layered culture of its home: contrast between splendor and poverty, city and jungle; the vibrancy of thousands of religions and millions of gods. There is certainly a lot to work with, but Karishma avoids specificity in favor of channeling the multitude of definitions that India encompasses.
The idea of layering is tangible in each look but also lends itself to the depth of the designs. Garments are unconventional yet incorporate cultural tradition with flowing pleats, lightweight fabric, and a palette of bright hues. Structure makes an appearance alongside the experimental: thin fabric flowers draped around the neck of a loosely tailored blazer, or a colorful reef lining the bottom of a cylindrical buckled bag of sorts.
But take each look apart, separating the pieces from their mates, and it is clear that Karishma has injected each creation with a modernity that allows the clothing to stray from its initial abstract feel in favor of creating wearable versatility that does not lose sight of its unusual roots.

The following images are the "Yatra" collection, which is in fact from S/S 2011 but is a wonderful portrayal of Karishma's aesthetic and ability.

All images from Showtime - London College of Fashion

(showtime.arts.ac.uk)

Karishma Shahani creates her collections by enlisting the help of artisans, promoting fair trade and the importance of craftsmanship as beginning at the core: with those who know it best. The line stands for the entirety of making a product, from the beading to the dyeing to the weaving.

Although the line is in an emerging state and rarely known here in America, hopefully the continuation of ingenious experimentalism inspired by the exotic multi-dimensional Indian culture will help Karishma's foray into fashion thrive and evolve.

The label's website is under construction at this time but can be found here.