Dhruv Kapoor’s collections often stem from convoluted narratives, this season being Dolores Cannon’s books on hypnotherapy. But the Indian designer seems to have developed an on-point understanding of what’s doing well business-wise.
While marking a new step in consistency, his usual sequin-heavy, gender-blurred and pattern-rich fashion looked leaner, sharper and less cluttered for spring, focusing on the key elements that are winning him a global audience, including the use of upcycled fabrics, here accounting for 40 percent of the collection.
Balancing easy streetwear and sartorial wear, the designer paraded denim cargo pants and oversized jackets for both genders; quilted parkas and vests with a dark camouflage motif and mixed-media tracksuits, as well as inventive tailoring anchored to narrow pants coming with a detachable pleated overskirt that were handsome, especially in the men’s renditions. They were paired with boxy blazers or bowling shirts featuring retro-futuristic prints reminiscent of 1980s sci-fi movie posters and similar hit graphics in the Balenciaga fall 2012 collection.
Another Kapoor signature — naïf floral patterns that are hand-drawn or sequin- and rhinestone-embellished — appeared on short-sleeved shirts, pajama sets, tunic-like shirts for women, and hoodies and blazers, too.
Closing on an upbeat note, Kapoor paraded two gradient, fully-sequined numbers. They brought Indian craftsmanship to the fore, a reason of pride for the designer.