Sportslifestyle heavyweight Puma signs him on to create a funky apparel-accessories-footwear range that will hit stores next year
Sportslifestyle heavyweight Puma signs him on to create a funky apparel-accessories-footwear range that will hit stores next year
The Indian fashion frat lost one of its fearless soldiers to the glitzy strobe lights of Bollywood two years ago.
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Fashion designer Aki Narula. PIC/PRADEEP DHIVAR |
But news of Aki Narula striking a deal with global sportslifestyle brand Puma, might just make the comeback story of 2010. The costume director of recent Bollywood blockbusters Dostana and Bachna Ae Haseeno, becomes the first Indian designer to join international heavyweights Alexander McQueen, Yasuhiro Mihara and Sergio Rossi, to create Black Label, a range of urban and versatile apparel, footwear and accessories that are slated to hit stores in February 2010.
"The process began in mid-January, when Puma's brand directors flew down for a meeting. It took a three-hour extensive presentation to encapsulate the work I'd shown at Fashion Weeks, and my Bollywood projects, before I was signed on," recalls the designer. The multi-functional collection will include mix-and-match pieces most likely to reflect the madness that's synonymous with Aki's label. Expect sporty grunge with a whimsical streak, dunked in pails of colours. "You won't complain about lack of variety or size issues," he promises with a grin.
Working with Bollywood has taught Aki the "screenplay of costumes", a blast of an experience the designer wouldn't exchange for anything else, let alone his core role as a designer. "I made a deliberate decision to stay away from mainstream fashion. I wouldn't have got Dostana or Rab Ne... if I had concentrated on Fashion Weeks. But I plan to re-launch my label. My agenda for next year one Fashion Week and two Bollywood movies."
