A date with Sayan Mitra
It was a fun date out with designer Sayan Mitra at Mani Square on a recent winter afternoon. Sayanʼs fashion sensibilities blended splendidly with the swanky design of the mall as we went around window shopping and looking at stuff in some of the departmental stores that displayed top-end designer wear.
Mani Mall is, indeed, a shoppersʼ paradise where the exclusivity of the premises impressed our young guest. From the stores to the food court and the special fun area for children, Sayan had a whale of a time licking an ice-cream cone and riding a racing bike!
“I ENROLLED MYSELF IN THE LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION IN 1998 AND DID A TWO-YEAR DIPLOMA COURSE, SPECIALISING IN PATTERN CUTTING AND CAME BACK TO START MY OWN LINE. LONDON TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT LIFE AND A LOT ABOUT FASHION.”
For me there were no other options really, right from my childhood. I grew up devouring fashion and I knew from a very early age that Iʼd like to take up fashion designing as my profession. But I knew all along that to excel in any field you had to have technical knowledge. I was very interested in making western, high-end couture. So it was natural for me to go to London to learn their method of garment-making. So I enrolled myself in the London College of Fashion in 1998 and did a two-year diploma course, specialising in pattern cutting and came back to start my own line. London taught me a lot about life and a lot about fashion. The London College of Fashion is in the heart of town and my exposure to all the museums, art galleries and fashion houses was a huge learning experience. The atmosphere of the college is completely cosmopolitan. I was the only Indian during my term but students came from all over the world and that got me in touch with diverse cultures.
On coming back to India I wanted to train under one of the big names in fashion but it just did not happen. And as I had made up my mind to do my own thing, I decided to take the big leap!
I wanted to venture out from Calcutta because in terms of the karigars and production this is really the best place. The karigars here do exquisite work and I did not want to let that opportunity slip by. Most of our top fashion designers depend on karigars from Bengal. Their reputation is impeccable. Also, Calcutta being my home city had a lot of other logistic advantages. My market in western couture, which is largely highly structured, has a very niche but a very loyal market here. If you can make a mark with your clothes, your clients will never leave you. I design for some of the cityʼs top corporate wives. I also design for a few stars in the entertainment industry. But for me every client is special and I would like to believe that I give them the same attention. Now Iʼm also doing a limited edition of Indian bridal wear and some menʼs wear. Iʼm now thinking of getting into interiors as well – it’s a new concept in India but it would be great fun to have my signature marked on high-end homes! There will be products for home use for sure but there may be an exclusive, limited edition of buyers who might want to incorporate my designing philosophy into their residences. So soon there may be tie-ups happening for Sayan Mitra homes. It’s a natural extension of my creativity.
Pics: Pradip Patra