Vaishali S: Striking a ‘cord’ in Paris

Come July, Indian textiles will be in the spotlight as Vaishali Shadangule takes Chanderi and her three-dimensional motifs to Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week has announced the return of physical fashion shows. And it’s especially relevant to India, as Vaishali S — of the diaphanous, wispy Chanderi and khun fame — is set to showcase its first-ever couture collection, alongside powerhouses such as Chanel, Valentino, Givenchy, Dior, and Schiaparelli. Vaishali Shadangule, 43, is only the second Indian, after Rahul Mishra, and the first woman designer from India to have her own show on the Haute Couture Calendar. (Though Palak Shah had showcased a collection of ivory textiles in a collaboration with Fédération Française de la Création Couture Sur Mesure at PHCFW in 2018 — where 14 international designers had created wedding dresses using Indian textiles from her brand, Ekaya — it was a presentation and not a show.) This is not Shadangule’s her first international foray though; she has previously shown at New York Fashion Week and is regularly stocked at boutique designer stores in London and Milan. For her SS21 digital fashion show at Lotus India, she shot the film in Milan, showcasing her signature cord technique and abstract silhouettes against the backdrop of the fashion capital of the world. It was well thought out and quite deliberate, because establishing an international presence has been a big part of her strategy for a while now.