Couturier Rimzim Dadu delves into the world of her futuristic textiles and molten metallics as she gives a lesson in smart and sharp cocktail dressing. Read on to discover how she treats diverse materials in her daring design ‘lab’ and makes everlasting statements with her ensembles.

From the signature steel-wire Rimzim Dadu sari to the world of wearable art where soft chiffon could take on a grunge avatar or the tough steel that could be moulded into a malleable piece of clothing, the Delhi-based designer is known for her edgy take on contemporary wear. We asked her the ‘story’ behind her latest collection ‘A Sea of Million Stories’ (FDCIxLFW 2022) where Dadu took it as an opportunity to pause, breathe and tell stories in a world where social media has altered one’s relationship with the self and reality. From sharing with us how she grew up viewing fashion globally, what goes into the making of her famous sculpted aesthetic and how the pandemic has impacted her journey. here are edited snippets from the conversation.

FL: What is the story behind A Sea of Million Stories and what is the USP of the collection?

RD: The idea behind A Sea of Million Stories was to celebrate love in all its forms. This was particularly important given what we have gone through in the past two years. Stories bind us together as human beings but in the fast-paced world, we forget to pause and listen to each other, to try to get to know each other. Our curated lives on social media drown out the ‘real’ us. A Sea of Million Stories was an opportunity to pause, breathe and connect with people and their stories from around the world. The show temporarily disconnected people from their ‘realities’ and allowed them the time to immerse, learn and be inspired by others. The visual extravaganza started from the moment people entered the space into a sky full of diamonds engulfed in clouds, ignited by tiny love notes. They walked into the space, which was intimately lit by 150 lamps and covered in a slow haze of fog to create the effect as if one was walking through clouds. The short love notes they stopped to read was something that touched a chord. In the latest collection, clean lines meet new-age craftsmanship, while our signature cord technique in re engineered material reimagines cocktail dressing to create fluid yet structured forms. This collection takes inspiration from natural elements around us – the ripples and waves in the sea, the texture of a river bed, the tropics and the ever-changing skies. Clean cuts, sharp silhouettes and molten metallics come together to form a range of exclusive womenswear and menswear cocktail dressing. With hints of metallic blues and emeralds combined with sparkly silvers and pristine whites – the collection embodies rich hues and modern sculpted forms.

FL: Like the fashion you design – smart and sharp – what are some of the sharpest highlights of the 15-year journey in the fashion industry?

RD: Showcasing at the V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum (London) for their exhibit called ‘Fabric of India’ was definitely one of the major highlights. In the past 15 years, I have also had the opportunity to create futuristic textiles inspired by Indian weaves like a Jamdani sari made with silicon, Patola in leather, Ikat in metal etc. Dressing some of the most influential celebrities, collaborating with some of the most amazing artists and tech studios to create immersive inter-disciplinary showcases have also been the high points.

“Our steel-wire saris are a homage to the classic sari. Our fascination with experimenting, reengineering, breaking materials apart and putting them together is what made steel our signature.”

“People are increasingly looking for pieces that are different and would help them own their personalities and we can’t serve them without constant experimentation. But at the same time, clothes have to be technically perfect and there can’t be any compromise on that.”

“This collection (‘A Sea of Million Stories’) takes inspiration from natural elements around us, the ripples and waves in the sea, the texture of a river bed, the tropics and the ever-changing skies. Clean cuts, sharp silhouettes and molten metallics come together to form a range of exclusive womenswear and menswear cocktail dressing. With hints of metallic blues and emeralds combined with sparkly silvers and pristine whites – the collection embodies rich hues and modern sculpted forms.”

FL: Your label is known for its range of “progressive surface texturing” – could you take us through its form and function?

RD: Constant experimentation with different materials has been at the heart of everything we do at our studio, which my team likes to call a “lab”. We have dabbled with stainless steel wires, metal, acrylic, silicone and even paper. We love to fuse art, fashion, science and technology together and reengineer materials to tweak their DNA.

FL: From steel wire to 3D appliques and cords, the sculpted aesthetic is built upon a body of deconstructed materials. Could you delve a bit into the signature hand-crafting techniques that compose an aesthetic of “wearable art”?

RD: I have always strived to create pieces that are comfortable but can be defined as wearable art. The “usual” bores me and I naturally gravitate towards exploring the unknown qualities of a material. For example, the tough steel becomes malleable and wearable, the soft chiffon becomes grunge – we constantly break apart materials and put them together in different ways to see the outcome. This constant experimentation produces pieces that gain cult status – like our steel-wire saris. People are increasingly looking for pieces that are different and would help them own their personalities and we can’t serve them without constant experimentation. But at the same time, clothes have to be technically perfect and there can’t be any compromise on that.

FL: How would you describe the signature Rimzim Dadu sari?

RD: Our steel-wire saris are a homage to the classic sari. Our fascination with experimenting, reengineering, breaking materials apart and putting them together is what made steel our signature. Our steel-wire technique evolved after a lot of experimentation. We were able to change the very nature of steel – our clothes made with steel cords look like armour or sculpture from far, but up close they are as malleable and wearable as any other fabric.

FL: What is the most challenging aspect of styling Bollywood celebrities and who comes closest to being the Rimzim Dadu muse?

RD: We work with celebrities who resonate with the brand. Amongst Bollywood celebrities our muse would be Sonam Kapoor for being open to experimental couture.

FL: Growing up as a Delhi girl and getting exposed to global pret-a-porter at trade shows in Paris, Premier Vision, Hong Kong Fashion Week and WWD Magic in Las Vegas, could you share an anecdote with us?

RD: Growing up in Delhi and being exposed to global fashion and visiting the biggest trade events of the industry globally trained me from a very young age in the field of fashion. From a very young age I saw fashion beyond its glamor quotient. I saw the hard work, sweat and labour that goes into this business.

FL: Has the pandemic induced a pause-and-reflect phase, in turn, influencing your design outlook?

RD: Absolutely, I feel sometimes pausing and taking a step back helps. We had been doing runway shows every season for many years before the pandemic hit. This allowed us to question the relevance of runway shows and seasons. It was an opportunity to take a breather to reflect and reset our priorities.