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On day one of the ongoing Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn-Winter '13, a gaggle of young girls, not a day over 18, queue up zealously to catch the opening show. "I hope I meet Masaba. I need at least one picture with her to put on Facebook," declares a young fashionista, clad in one of the designer's trademark cow-printed blazers. While it is norm for Bollywood glitterati and supermodels to attract such attention, it is rare for a designer to have such a loyal following. A day later, as I relate the incident to designer Masaba Gupta over lunch, she blushes profusely and admits to encountering many such young girls every other day, writes Priyanka Sharma.
The SmokeHouse Deli's lounge at the fashion week venue in Pragati Maidan is evidently a favourite with many. While designers hobnob with stylists and discuss (often criticise) the work of their peers, fashion magazine editors struggle to spot the "next big thing". Supermodels flanked by an army of make-up artists walk in for a quick bite between shows. But when Gupta walks in, clad in an elegant white top paired with a neck-piece in gold, and snug blue denims, it is clear that she is, as they say, the belle of the ball.
Famished, we order generously. We begin our meal with paprika puffs with wasabi salsa topping and bruschettas. Delhi temperatures are on the rise and chilled melon sangrias will be the perfect accompaniment, admits Gupta. As an eager foodie, I express my relief that Gupta hasn't chosen a boring salad. "I would never do that," she says, talking about her favourite restaurants - Cha-Shi and Chez Nini in Delhi and Yauatcha in Mumbai.
Gupta has plenty to cheer about. In October last year, she was appointed the fashion director for popular designer label Satya Paul. At 24, she is possibly the youngest fashion director to head an established design house. Industry insiders reveal that Gupta beat several veterans, who were also in the running for the position. At her first opening show for Satya Paul (which had not showed a collection in over two years) this week, she unveiled a collection targeted at a much younger, "Satya Paul girl" - fun, quirky, stylish and elegant. While her own brand is famous for its cow, palm and camera motifs, Gupta gave Satya Paul the sensual lipstick motif; models sashayed down the ramp in Gupta's mini and maxi dresses, gowns, saris teamed up with printed blouses, jackets, palazzo pants, tunics, kaftans and trench dresses, smeared with lipstick prints, ink blots and telephone booth imprints. As the crowds cheered and whistled, one fact was evident - Gupta had cleverly tapped into the demand for wearable fashion for young, professional women.
Her vision for Satya Paul and her brand are clearly distinguished. "If I would do the lipstick motif for my brand, it would be bolder, more lush. For Satya Paul, I chose the elegant smear motif. That alone sets the boundaries." Making use of the brand's scale and infrastructure, Gupta also added power-dressing accessories like totes, briefcases, trunks and overcoats.
"Masaba", an African term for wild flower, is an apt metaphor for the confident woman seated before me, comfortable with her success and critical of her work. As we greedily gorge on the paprika puffs and the bruschettas - the crunchy base is perfectly paired with the tangy sangrias - the conversation steers to Gupta's plans for her label. At a young age, Gupta has built an empire. When I met her in September last year, a shy Gupta had spoken of her first store in Delhi in Mehar Chand Market. She was wary of numbers and did not like talking business. Today, she is unabashed about her ambition and chats excitedly about her second store in Delhi - in upscale Khan Market, home to many designer stores like that of Raghavendra Rathore and Ranna Gill.
Gupta launched her eponymous label MASABA in 2009, showcasing a diffusion line for women between 25 and 50 years with dhotis, angrakhas, jumpsuits, ikkat and silk saris, and shift dresses. "I entered the industry at a time when there was a gaping need for something new, something fresh," says Gupta. Her blazers and jackets (between Rs 9,000-10,000) are perpetually "sold out" on Pernia's Pop-up Shop, a popular online shopping portal for designer wear. "What sets me apart is my pricing and accessibility," she says. Consciously avoiding bling, Gupta has given the sari a modern makeover through the use of prints, edgy motifs and pop colour. "Young girls can relate to me because I would never design something that I wouldn't wear myself." Gupta's Twitter account has been attracting oodles of attention lately. Gupta's designs and prices position her as a bridge-to-luxury brand, making her popular among various age groups with varied spending power. "You can't ignore young girls. They are the ones who will drag their mothers to buy them designer clothes!"
But is it easy to juggle the demands of two brands when she is all of 24? "When will I ever have this amount of energy to work this hard?" she states matter-of-factly. Mindful of deadlines, Gupta understands the importance of staying on the radar. "I make it a point to show at fashion weeks consistently. One can't afford to disappear. I owe it to the buyers and customers."
Since many had raved about SmokeHouse's legendary fare, we call for a combination of different dishes - a smoked chicken burger, a smoked chicken sandwich with lime dressing, a roast garlic and tomato bagel, and of course, another round of the sangrias. The servings are generous and the side dish of potato wedges is crisp and well-done.
While she swears by the design sensibilities of Manish Arora and Victoria Beckham ("She's so wearable!"), evidently, Masaba's inspiration has been an eclectic mix of her roots. "My father," says the daughter of former West Indian cricketing sensation Vivian Richards, "is yet to see the Satya Paul collection but he keeps giving me feedback." Gupta admits to inheriting her mother, actor Neena Gupta's style and love for colour. Richards and Gupta separated after a brief relationship in the 1980s; Masaba has kept her mother's maiden name.
"Often", she laments, "Critics get personal and focus more on my heritage than my work. They wonder why I've got the opening show. Well, I am the best young thing around!" Gupta knows she is watched like a hawk by fashion critics and bloggers who, at times, wait for her to commit a faux pas. "What irritates me is when someone passes judgments on my collection without any knowledge of even the fabric I work with!"
One of Gupta's most famous patrons, of course, is actor Sonam Kapoor, who is known to be perfectly styled on the red carpet and at social dos. "It helps that Sonam likes my work. The moment she wears one of my designs, it sells off the rack!"
While Indian fashion weeks have become more organised and international in their presentation and packaging, Gupta admits that "we need more off-site shows in libraries and other spaces. "India is becoming more relevant on the fashion scene internationally." And that's where she's headed, she adds. Although she has a growing clientele in West Asia, she plans to expand to Europe and the US soon.
As we guzzle the last of the sangrias, we joke about alternative careers. "If I wasn't a designer, I would have probably been an actor," declares Gupta. After a moment's pause, she collapses into giggles. "I just remembered I played 'lightning' in a school play!" Content with our meals, we decide to pass on dessert - Gupta has a flight to catch and the sangrias have caught up with us!
As she leaves, she remarks, "I wish people didn't follow the herd and overdo their look for fashion week. Dress for your body type, be comfortable, be an individual," she advises. As I spot a portly woman, nearly stumbling across Pragati Maidan in a snug dress and seven-inch Louboutins, I couldn't agree more.
