Atlas of Fashion Designers

69

Ashish

Ashish

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Ashish’s beginnings are bound to a kind of journey of initiation between fate and provi-

dence, a tumultuous swinging back and forth that guided the bright star of this young

designer at the outset of his career. When Ashish completed his master’s degree at presti-

gious Central Saint Martins, he gathered up all of his work and set off to Paris to seek his

fortune. Before even emerging from the Gare du Nord train station, however, his portfolio

had been robbed. Penniless, he was forced to return to his native India.  ere, and with

little pretense, he created a small collection with which he would return to London. As fate

would have it, a friend photographed wearing one of his jackets brought more attention to

Ashish’s work than a mass mailing to practically all the fashion agencies in town.

As a result of this stroke of random good fortune, Ashish made a name for himself. It is for

this reason that the Indian designer embraces providential changes, in what he considers a

philosophy of life: from the bad something good can emerge; from the small, something

grand. In this same spirit, he embraces the liberty and freshness of a society without castes,

the multiracial, eff ervescent spirit of the London of the 70s: the eternal icon of cultural

freedom.

Ashish recreates this period with sparkling sequined mini dresses combined with colored

stockings sheathed in lace, superimpositions, fl uorine colors, sheen, paillet, and precious

stones—a genuine stardust worn by Madonna, Goldfrapp and other musical luminaries

at one time or another. Indeed, the glorious fusion of high culture and mass culture, the

combination of yin and yang, is what has made this designer one of the great new promises

of London Fashion Week.

Photography by Will Sanders

70

Ashish

Photography by Will Sanders/make up by Shama/hair by Tom Kembery/model: Aisha

71

Ashish

To the left, a dress from the Fall/

Winter 2007–2008 collection. To

the right, shorts and patterned shirts

from the Spring/Summer 2007

collection that represent the designer’s

characteristic style: a combination of

sexy, glamorous and casual.

Photography by Will Sanders/make up by Shama/hair by Tom Kembery/model: Nadja B

72

Ashish

Ashish

25B Kempe Road

London NW6 6SP

United Kingdom

www.ashish.co.uk

- What inspires you?

Lots of diff erent things are inspiring. It could be a fi lm I’ve watched or a book I’m reading. Friends are inspiring, as is

the way people dress in the street. I also fi nd travel very inspiring. And I am obsessed with color and light—I never met

a sequin I didn’t like!

- What is your dream as a designer?

To be able to continue to make a living from doing what I love doing.

- What has been the most important achievement of your career?

I think it’s really thrilling when I see a stranger wearing one of my designs.

- How important are trends?

I don’t really look at trends. I prefer to go with my instinct for what feels right at the moment.

- Fashion has always refl ected a certain era. What does fashion refl ect in the twenty-fi rst century?

Fashion is now completely celebrity-obsessed and moves at an incredibly fast pace.  e boundary between high fash-

ion and high street has become increasingly blurry. Also, Western fashion is becoming more and more international;

very few parts of the globe have not been permeated by cheap, mass-manufactured Western clothing, which is mainly

manufactured in the developing world.

- What book would you recommend to every fashion designer?

D.V., by Diana Vreeland.

73

Ashish

Photography by Will Sanders/make up by Shama/hair by Tom Kembery/model: Nadja B