HT Brunch Cover Story: India à la Mode

Millennial designer Dhruv Kapoor, 33, has always been a man with a plan. All the way back in the sixth grade, he remembers being fascinated by jewellery, and how a simple sketch could be brought to life. Slowly, from jewellery he shifted focus to clothes. “I only wanted to know what clothes were worn at an event or a friend’s birthday and I always had a different point of view and restyled their looks in my head,” he proclaims. “By the 9th grade, I was clear—I was going to design clothes one day.”

The New Delhi-born Dhruv, who studied at Springdales School, then went on to study at the National Institute of Fashion Technology before making the decision that would change his life. He left India for Milan in 2011 to study at the prestigious Istituto Marangoni, and that, he says, “was the gamechanger.”

The Italian job

Italy is a far cry from India when it comes to most things, leave alone fashion. The city of Milan helped shape the views of the young Dhruv and became the foundation that his eponymous label would later stand upon.

“The city boasts its eclectic take in fashion, and once you live there you are in the middle of it… it’s impossible to not learn from it,” he states. “It took a 360-degree spin on my approach and my personal aesthetic,” he continues. “From the city life, to my education at Marangoni—everything filtered in a new aesthetic, which I later mixed with the maximal aesthetic I grew up with in India. I understood the design process and carved one for myself during my time in Milan. As a result, my brand is a combination of these two elements—the minimal dressing from Europe and India’s maximal aesthetic.”

It wasn’t easy at all, though, as he discovered when he got the opportunity to intern with the womenswear design team at Etro in Milan. It was here that he witnessed the design process in real time. “I took mental notes of everything—from the seating arrangement to code of conduct, how to plan a collection, virtual styling, drawing inspiration and translating ideas into garments, and I still use it,” he says.

Milan talkies

While he’s done many shows in India, Dhruv’s most consistent outings have been at the Milan Fashion Week (MFW), where he’s presented seven times—making him the only Indian designer to do so. And it all started with him losing a contest in a twist of fate that he calls “bizarre.”

“We lost the Vogue Talents contest in Mumbai,” he recalls. “I emailed one of the jury members for feedback or any suggestions and the answer I got was, ‘It was great! But I have something else in mind for you,’ and two weeks later we got an invitation to be a part of Milan Fashion Week (MFW).”

This came off the back of two successful nominations (they made it to the semi-finals twice) for the International Woolmark Prize. His label was sponsored by Camera Nazionale della Moda (CNMI, the fashion council of Milan) for two consecutive seasons to exhibit during MFW at the Fashion Hub Market.

Initially a showroom format—a B2B format where five-seven designers are invited from around the world, it lasts the entire duration of fashion week and marks the opening—the label then moved to a live presentation (these are smaller than runway shows, where a designer is free to build a set-up or choose a location to display their collection; they normally last for two-three hours) in February 2022 and Dhruv now hopes to make it to the runway shows this June. Runway shows are tougher to get and have much higher budgets, including a large pool of models, lighting and PR.

Just how does he manage to do it so consistently? Well, for this veteran, the work begins six months before every show at MFW. “It’s become a habit,” he shares. “We aligned our calendars to their dates and now we work in that order. Also, I am a firm believer of ‘nothing is difficult’. At the back of my head, I am aware of this great opportunity that is Milan and it naturally pushes us to work hard. My biggest secret is my team,” he acknowledges. “This whole process is about team-work… I wouldn’t exist without their support and hard work.”

India international

The oddly successful mix of his Indian upbringing with his Italian training and education means that Dhruv has a unique style that appeals to a global audience. “Just like the Indian market, the international market responds positively to our odd pairings and colour combinations,” he says. “Handcrafted details and hand embroideries are what attract maximum attention.”

Having bridged the gap between the international fashion market and their expectations from Indian designers, does he think that there is a disconnect between Indian fashion designers and what the global market wants from Indian fashion? “Not really!” he says. “I am noticing a lot of homegrown labels that are sprouting around the country and most of them have a very strong voice. I feel once we find clarity in our work and our message, the world opens its doors. I wouldn’t compare in terms of aesthetic or quality—India has the capability and already provides optimum quality at international standards.”

So, does he see himself as an international designer who happens to be from India, or an Indian designer gone international? Perhaps neither. As he puts it: “I’m an Indian designer with a global audience.”

Praise for Dhruv Kapoor:

Vinod Nair, fashion commentator: “Dhruv always managed to catch the attention of the buyers and press by infusing that perfect global feel in his collections.”

Raghavendra Rathore, designer: “Young talents like Mr Kapoor now have a vast canvas to project their interpretation of Indian style on a global footprint by virtue of his presence in leading fashion capitals of the world and the geography-less virtual platforms like social media.”

Jamal Shaikh, National Editor, HT Brunch and New Media Initiatives: “As a fashion design aspirant 10 years ago, Dhruv never seemed starry-eyed about the big names in the industry. He worked hard through the pandemic. Having luck and privilege is one thing, hard work and consistency are terms I associate with Dhruv Kapoor.”

Supriya Dravid, editor-in-chief, Ajio Luxe & former editor-in-chief, Elle India­: “Dhruv is an intuitive designer who has understood his audiences well. Over the years, he has built a brand that is a clever mix of sophisticated streetwear and modern classics that are insanely fun to wear.”

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From HT Brunch, March 27, 2022

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