Designing has now changed with the customer, how did you both begin your journey?

Bhumika and I were both creative from a young age and the atmosphere in our homes encouraged design discussions. When we met first at the age of 17, Bhumika was already experimenting with silhouettes, textiles and stitching her ensembles. Her admission to the National Institute of Fashion Technology was the final step for us getting into fashion design. 

In a sea of style gurus what sets you apart?

Being based in Gujarat we are far away from the hustle-bustle of metros. The peaceful environment of our hometown Ahmedabad, which is a UNESCO world heritage city, gives us space and time to explore the crafts of our country and design traditional collections with modern aesthetics. Our work has, over the years, also won us one of the most diverse clientele spread over several continents. That further allows us to experiment with different styles that would suit our multicultural muse.

Is real learning in design practice or can it be taught?

More than the institutes it’s the upbringing and inspiring people around us that taught us most of the things that shape our work today. Since our childhood, we were encouraged to think about design, be creative, think about sustainability, value our heritage and culture and promote craft by hand. Bhumika is a trained fashion designer, and I am a graduate in commerce along with professional course study at London and Milan. These institutes gave our careers the professional edge.

What kind of innovations do you add to your designs to make them contemporary and relevant? 

Our design ideology is constantly evolving every year and we have made fine, but noticeable changes to our use of colour and motifs this season. The last India Couture Week collection had a lot of Victorian glamour woven in the story of an Indian merchant princess; this year’s collection is set in a French-Italian setting inspired by our travels to Florence. The collection has unique vintage and jewel tones; is royal, flamboyant and portrays a certain kind of muse. The mood, this season is romance while the trending embellishments are playful threads, sequins and crystals in traditional embroidery techniques. We have been using natural fabrics like Matka silk, raw silks, satins and crepe, and diaphanous fabrics like tulle and organza in innovatively cut silhouettes, lehengas and gowns, as well as our draped and ruffle-detailed ensembles.

Bridal designs are going softer and subtler would you agree?

I wouldn’t agree with this statement as every designer has his own style and no generic trend applies to the industry. The only reason the designs are going more modern would be to accommodate a larger audience from several continents including the second generation of successful South-Asians who have a more modern subtle taste but want to wear something that connects them to their roots.

How is Bollywood a game-changer for designers and do you think social media has impacted the retail space especially the bridal market?

Bollywood has a huge influence, especially on the brides living in India. Actresses are making waves with their social media pictures and their looks are definitely dominating trends. For designers, associating with a Bollywood celebrity leads to him being able to dominate the trends of the season with his style of work. Social media has been the biggest influence on bridal and retail trends in the last decade and it is the new form of media that people are glued to. The Shyamal & Bhumika label has been able to easily open stores in distant cities because of the massive social media following in excess of 50 lakh women. 

What would you say are the biggest trends in the bridal business today? We are one of the labels that the Indian bridal industry looks up to for the next big trend. Some of the trends we endorse, include asymmetric or draped gowns and lehengas with delicate embroidery worn with stylized blouses, high-low hemmed skirts, over layered on ruffled tulle to create a dramatic effect and paired with off shouldered blouses; blouses with exaggerated sleeves, jacket styled blouses or embroidered corsets.

Lehengas and gowns in Indian pastels with trailing flares for a modern look with nuances inspired by royalty, embroidered A-line and cowl dresses paired with embroidered capes and dupattas are trending this season too. Woven saris can never go out of style. Traditional lehengas with intricate embroidery in silk thread and gold are a hit. Indian couture holds its place by giving all these trends the much-needed uniqueness as hand-embroidered details transcend the outfits into timeless masterpieces.

As a designer what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Each aspect of our work has its strengths and weaknesses. Starting with being in Ahmedabad far away from the fashion world gives our collections a unique feel and yet when it comes to reach and access we are a little far from where the client is shopping. The hand-embroidered collections are special and yet the pace of production as you can imagine is much slower, so is the amount of work that we can take on.

How do you and Bhumika maintain a balance between the roles in the business?

Our responsibilities generally overlap and we prefer not to conform to specific roles. However, Bhumika is the fashion designer and technical expert and manages execution while I am the creative head and Managing Director as I spearhead the business and strategic planning. We are always in discussion about varied topics that range from colours, silhouettes and details we want to introduce to business initiatives and distant markets we want to reach. 

Would you ever think of diversifying and moving into other areas of design—home, accessories, shoes, bags and jewellery?

Yes, the lines are already in place in a small way and it will be a natural evolution.