Designers Vicky Suri, Pooja Syal and Vinayak Suri – the Linen Bloom trio – decode the brand’s luxury prêt language.
Read on to discover the spiritual and fun avatars of the forces behind Linen Bloom, leveraging pure linen for wondrous wardrobes.
(Edited excerpts)
FL: A milestone which has proved to be a game changer for the brand?
LB: The enduring popularity of linen dates back to 10,000 years, and ‘God’s fabric’, as linen is also known, has continued to enchant us both as creators and consumers. The knowledge that several centuries ago people wore linen clothes, slept on linen bedding and used linen tablecloths is reassuring. It steers a sense of continuity in design. For us, the game changer was when we realised it was time to redefine linen. This marked the beginning of a journey to bring it into the arena of mainstream and luxury fashion.
FL: A thing, place, or person who has been a huge influence/ acted as a muse and why?
LB: We are deeply influenced by Sadhguru and his wisdom on fashion and sustainability. We would like to quote him: “If we go business as usual, by 2025 it is said that 98% of the fibre on the planet will be synthetic, of which 95% will be poly-fibre. When we talk about plastics, everybody is shooting at the lowly plastic bag, which is visible, but the real plastic problem is in the microfibre, which comes out of fabric, which has gotten into our soil, which has gotten into our water systems, into our food chain, and is living in our bodies. It has become part of our human system now.” The Isha Foundation founder’s valuable insights propel our brand’s vision.
FL: If you have to select three shifts in consumer culture that have shaped the contemporary language of design, what would those be?
LB: Primarily, today’s customer has evolved and is now aware of what kind of clothing would be best for their personal well-being. Secondly, they want to ensure that they buy long-lasting and sustainable fabrics, which are biodegradable and thus planet-friendly. Lastly, comfort and breathability is what customers prefer over fast and disposable fashion.
FL: Could you tell us some of the mega summer fashion trends?
LB: Some of the key summer trends are co-ord sets in both solids and prints, oversized shirts, geometric embroideries in bright hues, and unisex looks.
FL: What is an ideal summer day and evening look like?
LB: Linen Bloom co-ord sets are ideal for work as well as evening outings.
FL: Any go-to silhouette or palette when in doubt?
LB: When in doubt, we go with earthy and natural colours, which are neutral and can be coordinated with any other colour.
FL: How would you describe your personal wardrobe choices?
LB: We prefer natural fabrics; synthetics and polyesters are a strict no-no.
FL: Any tips for planning a travel wardrobe?
LB: Linen Bloom offers the best choice of travel wear and airport looks from home to destination because of the soft and comfortable touch, which is a relaxed yet chic silhouette.
FL: Your all-time favourite playlist?
LB: Frank Sinatra, Kishore Kumar, and John Denver, are a few of my eternal favourites.