From bandgalas to lehengas

Veteran menswear designer Raghavendra Rathore launches Women's wear line, Blue Mantra

From bandgalas to lehengas

Veteran menswear designer Raghavendra Rathore launches women's wear line, Blue Mantra

When it comes to men's fashion, very few Indian designers get it right. So when a well-known menswear designer decides to embroider lehengas instead of achkans, we get curious. We spoke to Raghavendra Rathore from the house of Rathore Jodhpur, about his new label Blue Mantra (where Blue signifies Jodhpur), which would specialise in ethnic women's wear, accessories, footwear and clutches.

Creations from Raghavendra Rathore's new label, Blue Mantra

Why did you choose to move from menswear to women's wear? Is the market bigger?
80% of our business caters to the custom-made market and other than menswear, we also provide
services like interiors and jewellery. So it was a well-thought corporate decision to take the next step, in order to expand our business like any other design house. Also in terms of infrastructure, we already had a set-up to make the shift, sinceu00a0 we used to do embroidery on achkans. I felt we were ready to get into women's line. Hence, the need to start a separate label.

The launch seems right in time for the festive season.
Cycles are an important part of the industry, but we have international clients and it's not necessary, that festive events happen at the same time all over the world. So our collection would be such that when you walk into the store you can pick up a sari for the office or even a wedding.

What were your challenges while shifting to elaborate and ethnic clothes from your usual clean-cut silhouettes?
The women's wear market is huge. So we had to come up with something different and find motifs that stood apart from what was already available in the market. We decided to go back in history and picked up details from the Bikaner palace and even a design on an old sewing machine. Something minimal can also look beautiful.
u00a0
In our collection, we have saris with prints that standout besides exquisite lehengas. If you go out to buy a sari in the market, you will pick up just two out of ten. But back in the day, when a sari vendor used to come to our house, the products were so good that my mother would pick up eight out of ten saris. It's all going to be classicu00a0-- something that a mother would give to her daughter. Although this is a new edition, we will be continuing with the menswear line as well.

Why do you think that inspite of so many designers, it takes a shopper some time to pick up something new and unique?
It's like making 'shudh ghee'. The more you tamper with it and mix it you get something that's just greasy in the end. You should stay true to the style, in order to get the best.

Will there be a ramp debut?
Our aim is to make a soft entry in the market. We have been in talks and by August 15, Blue Mantra should be in stores.

Name your favourite women's wear designers.
Well, I like Abu and Sandeep, Tarun Tahiliani, Pallavi Jaikishan and Rajesh Pratap Singh amongst a few. Anamika Khanna does beautiful work too.

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