Couturier Archana Kochhar has been showcasing her collection on national and international runways for over a decade now. Having revolutionized the bridal arena with her glamorous looks, Indian and contemporary silhouettes, and craftsmanship, Archana has slowly carved a niche for herself.
Ace fashion couture Archana Kocchar is also one of the favourites amongst Bollywood glitterati. She has designed for who's who from the industry, which includes Sonakshi Sinha, Kangana Ranaut, Shraddha Kapoor , Nargis Fakhri ,Ileana D'Cruz , Chitrangada Singh, Bipasha Basu, Divya Khosla, Urmila Matondkar, Soha Ali Khan, Amrita Rao, Ayesha Takia, Sunidhi Chauhan, Zeenat Aman, Mughda Ghodse, Dia Mirza, Celina Jaitley, Prabhu Deva, Jacqueline Fernandez, Raveena Tandon, Prachi Desai, Sameera Reddy, etc. to name few.
Recently, Archana Kocchar designed an ethnic ensemble for Nick Jonas. At Priyanka Chopra's brother's engagement ceremony, Nick Jonas wore the signature Archana Kochhar Cowl Kurta & Ahimsa Silk Bandi.
In an exclusive conversation with International Business Times India, Archana Kocchar spoke at length about the evolution of the fashion industry over the years, why brides are opting for pastel colours and actors she would love to style again and much much more.
It's been decades ever since you have been a designer. How has your journey been so far?
It has been a fantastic journey. I am grateful and humbled by the support I have received from the public, the media and especially my clients.
How has fashion changed over the years?
Fashion has become more global over the years. Over the last 15 years, there has also been a change in the way women dress and the confidence with which they carry their outfits.
We see a lot of trends making a comeback. As a fashion couture, what are the things you keep in mind while styling for a model or celebs?
I believe that in styling the most important thing is not trends but what will suit your muse. Every individual has a different body type and fashion aesthetic, it is important to style the celebrity or model with an outfit that flatters them and makes them feel beautiful because this will exude confidence that will elevate the look further.
You styled for Miss World and we see a lot of indianess in couture and styling and this helps our Indian roots flourish globally. Do you think more and more designers should do so?
More and more designers are going back to our roots and you can see how designs and embroideries are becoming more ethnic. It is great to see us embrace our roots and globalize these Indian arts and culture. I have been working on globalizing different Indian arts like the Banjara Art, Warli Art, Ahima Silk with the Make in India campaign by Hon PM Narendra Modi Ji at different international platforms like New York Fashion Week.
Which celeb according to you is one of the best dressed celebs in Bollywood?
I have always loved Kareena Kapoor's dressing sense. I love how she carries all of our outfits with confidence.
Any celeb you would want to style?
I would love to style global superstar Priyanka Chopra again
What is your fashion mantra?
I love colour-blocking while styling or designing outfits.
We saw Bollywood brides and celebs opting for pastel shades as bridal outfits do you think the stark red wedding lehenga is missing?
As we as a country become more global and women become more into-western in their thinking, pastel hues being used for wedding outfits makes complete sense. I do love a red wedding lehenga personally but I do feel like every pastel bride has owned her look and looked radiant, and looked like herself!
With India's homegrown brands do you think as a designer it's important to showcase more and more fabrics that represent India globally?
I have been promoting different textiles in India on a global scale. From working on Ahimsa Silk with the Government of Jharkhand and showcasing this collection at the New York Fashion Week to working with the Cotton and Rural industry of Madhya Pradesh and using their sustainable and low carbon footprint silk in Bombay Times Fashion Week collection.
What next for you?
I am showcasing at the Bombay Times Fashion Week on 3rd May.
