| 03 APR 2024

Why The Jacket Is A Suitable Muse

Through an exclusive fashion shoot, Verve examines the way the versatile garment lends itself to different modes of self-expression, and chats with six designers who continue to play with this timeless piece…

Blue peplum dress, from Rajesh Pratap Singh; white shirt, from Quod; brocade koti jacket, from Nikyta; vintage gold earrings (used as brooches), from Beg Borrow Steal Studio; printed socks, from Theater; footwear, from Melissa.

Velvet bandhgala, from Rajesh Pratap Singh; dress reworked as headgear by Raw Mango.

“The cut of the jacket has been inspired by Yohji Yamamoto. It presents a blend of elegance and playfulness with its uneven panels and reversible character. The slits, where the panels are, allow for a sari to effortlessly blend and play hide-and-seek with it…. There are a multitude of ways to style it.”

-Nikyta Dhiman of Nikyta

Black-and-white striped jacket, from Ka-Sha; hand-painted woollen felt dress, from Ashish Karmali; white trousers, from Chola by Sohaya Misra; black pumps, from Christian Louboutin.

“The jacket is free size which allows our Indian consumers to layer it in interesting ways with multiple pieces, Western or Indian…. Following the pandemic, people have become more mindful of what they buy. They want to invest in pieces that are multifunctional. The construction of our overlays has a lot of wear which gives them a longer life cycle.”

-Karishma Shahani-Khan of Ka-Sha

Crochet tops and pants, from Hook; choga chintz-printed jacket, from Torani; naturally dyed socks, from Kokun.

Quilted kimono jacket, from SWGT; buttoned overlay, from Button Masala; mesh skirt, from Shia Rai; off-white platform shoes, from Aroka.

“Jackets have always had a core place within the Indian subculture of fashion. I remember my school teachers wearing woollen trenches over their saris during school assemblies in Delhi winters…. However the experiential designs and sheer variety have made it go far beyond utility and it has transitioned into luxury.”

-Karan Torani of Torani

Velvet bandhgala, from Rajesh Pratap Singh; handwoven metallic silk scarf, from Vaishali S Couture; handwoven structured silk dress in stripes (worn as skirt), from Raw Mango.

“The jacket is our go-to garment…it is a part of our design vocabulary… And as with everything else, with the new found confidence in our culture, this jacket represents us perfectly.”

-Rajesh Pratap Singh of Rajesh Pratap Singh

Peplum silk handwoven jacket, handwoven scarf, both from Vaishali S Couture; metallic skirt, from Rajesh Pratap Singh; leather boots, from Christian Louboutin.

Black dress, black underskirt, both from Quod; metallic sherwani jacket, from Rajesh Pratap Singh; black metallic stockings, from Theater; hand stack, from Foundree Jewelry.

“The current surge in the popularity of the jacket can be attributed to its versatility and ability to cater to diverse fashion preferences. Designers and consumers alike appreciate the jacket’s ability to seamlessly blend different cultural elements, making it a symbol of global fashion. Additionally, the rise of social media and the fashion-conscious consumer has contributed to the visibility and desirability of the jacket, further fuelling its popularity on the contemporary fashion scene.”

–Shweta Gupta of SWGT

Ceramic earring, from Foundree Jewelry; black pumps, from Christian Louboutin.

“The jacket has always been there in many forms in the history of Indian fashion. But I would say that in my collection, it is about giving Indian handmade weaves a global language and wearability, especially if we think about the materials that I use. My last collection was the result of who I think about while creating — a woman anchored in traditions but not caged in by them, a woman who wants to interpret traditions in her own way, with freedom. While I am very emotionally close to my khun jackets, I just loved the outcome of the experimentation with metal handmade weaves used for jackets in the last collection.”

-Vaishali Shadangule of Vaishali S