Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro brings Beams of Metal to Chennai

Gaurav Jai Gupta of Akaaro brings Beams of Metal to Chennai

Gaurav Jai Gupta’s work is inspired by the future. “I am not excited about the past. I am interested in what the future is going to be: perhaps a lot to do with experimentation, innovation, relevance. I associate the future with shine, glaze, and steel. It’s very space age,” he says. And this reflects in his creations.

At Collage in Chennai, Gaurav is currently showcasing his edit titled Beams of Metal. The clothes — mostly high on shine and glaze, but not blingy — represent favourites from previous collections like The Sky Is Mine, Irreverence, and Moonrise, along with new pieces. There are tops in his famous shade of Klein blue, silk and cotton trenchcoats, jackets made of upcycled fabric, kinji palla saris with stretchable pallus, shararas, and saris with seven to eight different weaves. The designer has a special affinity for metallics. “It gives me the scope to play around a little more. The moment people want to celebrate, they prefer the glaze. It brings a twinkle to the eye,” he says.

Gaurav launched his label Akaaro in 2010 in Delhi. “Akaaro is a Sanskrit term. It is to Sanskrit what A is to English. To me it seemed like an auspicious word, it also sounded Japanese,” says Gaurav, who draws from Japanese aesthetics and minimalism. His creations, deep rooted in Indian heritage, are contemporary with a global appeal. “We use traditional skills in the base but what you see is extremely modern and contemporary,” he says.

Akaaro’s brand narrative is ‘Look within seek within’. That is where Gaurav’s ideas come from. “Everything comes from within; for me it is a lot about questioning. It’s a quest. Quest is what keeps you going,” he says.

It is this quest that led him to work with unconventional fabrics. He has used paper, stainless steel and blended metal and wool in ikat. This fascination with developing fabrics started in 2001 when he was studying in NIFT and working on a project. “My first fabric was made of copper wires. We then imported steel yarn to create more fabric. I did not want to do what everyone else was doing. I heard of this term called creative weaving. I wanted my fabric to be sculpted, scrunched, tactile. There was definitely an influence of Japanese design as they were doing work with interesting materials,” he says, adding that it became a passion. “You know as a child how it is to get a new toy, it got me very excited,” he adds.

It took him almost a decade to make these fabrics commercially viable. “I use things which will justify the usage. For our ongoing collection Kaalchakra, we’ve dyed yarn and created a whole range from upcycled air. We partnered with a scientist who has been able to take out concentrated particulate matter 2.5 and convert it into ink,” says the 43-year-old. Kaalchakra has been a work in progress for four years now. Grey, dark and earthy, the pieces are a crossover between art, textile, and fashion. Also part of it is an art installation that is around 14 feet, apart from a pret and festival line.  

Fifteen years in the fashion industry and Gaurav continues to do things his way. “We have been successful in building a community, mostly through word of mouth. If you know what you are doing you don’t know need the drama,” he says. He is not pressured by the numbers game that may have consumed many of his peers, Instagram followers, dressing celebrities etc. “I like celebrating individuality and I am not a brand that aligns much with Bollywood. I am trained to do certain things, if you like it, take it or else bye.”