In conversation with Gaurav Gupta, who is on a cosmic plane as he basks in the glory of ‘Shunya’, his Paris Haute Couture 2023 showcase, marking his debut on the official calendar of the prestigious runway. Here, he takes us on a trail of surrealistic silhouettes, sculptural techniques and volcanic embroideries.

Traversing a quirky realm of nothingness-between zero and infinity-has been Gaurav Gupta through his cosmic couture odyssey of ‘Shunya’, his Paris Haute Couture 2023 showcase. The Delhi-based designer, who founded his eponymous label in 2005, after graduating from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, has been known for his brand of boundless imagination, exploring fantastical and surrealistic elements or what the brand book describes as ‘future primitive’. The brand’s sculptural silhouettes regularly appear on the world’s ‘best dressed’ lists for the Oscars, the Emmy Awards, the Ton Awards, and the Festival de Cannes, to name a few.

Here, the designer shares his latest milestone, delving into the finer nuances of flowy, wind-like and oceanic ripple-effect shapes, ‘snake’ design details erupting in slithering artwork, mattes and metallic embroideries defining the electrifying future-ready collection.

(Edited excerpts)

FL: How would you describe this milestone of your first showcase on the official calendar at Paris Haute Couture Week and would you say that it has further elevated your understanding of the international couture market?

GG: The first showcase of my collection on the official calendar at Paris Haute Couture Week has been an incredibly surreal and exhilarating experience for me. It was a tremendous honour to have my work featured at such a prestigious event, and it has further expanded my understanding of the global couture market. After 25 years of striving to achieve this goal, seeing it come to fruition felt like pure magic.

FL: What does this landmark mean for your overall journey in the couture landscape, especially from the vantage of showcasing India on a global stage?

GG: For around two decades, we have been working on a sustainable strategy for expanding our brand globally, while maintaining a strong presence in India. We consider ourselves fortunate to have the right partners and catalysts, such as Hema Bose, who helped us achieve iconic moments such as Cardi B at the Grammys, Megan Thee Stallion at the Oscars, Lizzo for her documentary, etc. As we move forward, we plan to expand our brand through retail and other projects, allowing it to reach even more channels. This landmark is an important step in our journey towards showcasing India’s unique style and craftsmanship to the world.

FL: Could you tell us about the ideation, conceptualisation and creative inspiration behind ‘Shunya’, your Paris Haute Couture 2023 showcase?

GG: As an Indian, I have always been fascinated by the ancient knowledge and culture of my country. For this collection, I wanted to use a very subtle concept as a foundation. The discovery of shunya, or zero, expanded our understanding not only of mathematics but also of time, dimensions, and various other tangents, making the possibilities infinite. I wanted to celebrate this discovery and interpret it in my own way, allowing my mind to explore various conceptual directions.

The collection is divided into different segments. The first segment features zero- and infinity-inspired shapes created using our sculptural techniques on handwoven Indian tissue. These fluid, wind-like sculptures swirl around the body lending a sense of infinity. A special moment for me was showcasing a conjoined infinity dress. For me, togetherness symbolises infinity.

The collection then moves into elemental concepts, with volcanic embroideries on nude bodies and kundalini snake dresses evoking an Egyptian black-and-gold feel. I have always been mesmerised by the ancient Egyptian civilisation and their discoveries of time and metaphysics.

FL: Could you delve into the forms of ‘Shunya’, since the collection note terms it as a transition of ‘form to infinity’?

GG: When exploring the space between zero and infinity, with an open mind and spirit, I found myself deep-diving into a conceptual art process where I allowed myself to flow without any restrictions. I revisited the concepts and sketches repeatedly and followed my instincts throughout the creative process.

I began with various random thoughts and sketches, and the electric blue colour emerged as a futuristic element in the collection. We kept this segment pure and reflective of a particular time period. The kundalini dresses were a natural fit as the movement towards zero tends to lead towards the kundalini.

Overall, the collection’s forms and shapes reflect the idea of moving from form to infinity. The fluid, wind-like sculptures represent the infinite, while the elemental concepts such as volcanic embroideries and kundalini snake dresses evoke a sense of form.

FL: What are the key silhouettes and how do they disrupt or amalgamate the core concepts of Gaurav Gupta couture?

GG: Our first showcase aimed to highlight the brand’s DNA and showcase the sculpting and structured draping techniques that we have been mastering for years. We also experimented with newer forms of cloud-draping and constructed jackets based on conceptual embroideries. In addition, we included a segment featuring Indian handlooms. This was a deliberate decision on our part. I have always wanted to work with Indian handlooms, but I wanted to do so in a way that reflects our unique perspective. Moving forward, I am excited to explore this technique in a more in-depth manner in future collections.

FL: What’s next for Gaurav Gupta and where’s luxury headed in a post-pandemic world?

GG: Over the last year, our brand has had many successful collaborations with globally renowned cultural catalysts for iconic red-carpet events and other significant moments. Moving forward, we are focusing on global expansion, not only through celebrity partnerships or shows, but also through a robust distribution and retail plan.

“Overall, the collection’s forms and shapes reflect the idea of moving from form to infinity. The fluid, wind-like sculptures represent the infinite, while the elemental concepts such as volcanic embroideries and kundalini snake dresses evoke a sense of form.”

GAURAV GUPTA