OT Wedding Wednesday: Designer Anavila Misra On Her Unique Creations And Steering Away From Current Fashion Trends

Championing slow fashion and sustainability, Anavila Misra, Creative Director and Founder of the label Anavila, has been an important name in fashion. Best-known for introducing hand-woven linen sarees into the Indian fashion scene, Anavila Misra launched her eponymous label in 2011 in Mumbai. In this Outlook Traveller exclusive interview, we discuss her design philosophy, sustainable inspirations and her approach to designing for the vibrant wedding market of India.Can you tell us about your design philosophy and how it influences your creations?I am a classic minimalist who enjoys simplicity and its starkness. For instance, the vastness of the sky is there, but one never gets bored looking at it. This inspires me to create designs that are refined, and their simplicity borders on nothingness.What are your primary sources of inspiration when creating new collections? Are there any specific cultural or personal influences that shape your designs?Nature and anthropology are my greatest sources of inspiration. I find immense beauty in the diversity of cultures and the stories they tell. The rich tapestry of cross-cultural interactions, combined with the oral traditions passed down through generations, sparks my creativity. These narratives breathe new life into my designs, allowing me to blend traditional elements with contemporary expression, creating something uniquely beautiful and innovative.Your use of fabric and material is quite distinctive. How do you choose the materials for your collections, and what role do they play in your design process?Textiles is where our design journey starts. Our pursuit to create comfortable fabrics that speak of everyday luxury takes us to yarns like linen, khadi and kala cotton. Textiles made from these yarns are comfortable and lend distinct textures that build the innate character of our ensembles.Your work is known for its sustainability. How do you incorporate eco-friendly practices into your designs, and why is this important to you?Respect for nature, artisans, craft clusters, and finally, the consumers have always guided us to create with mindfulness. From the beginning, we've committed to using natural fibers for handloom weaving, harmless dyes for printing, and natural materials for ornamentation and embroidery. Our practices also include an empathetic employment approach, recycling fabric scraps into appliqué, and creating eco-friendly toys for children. The dedication towards slow fashion and respect for our resources have been integral to our work since its inception.How do you balance staying true to your design vision while keeping up with current fashion trends?When observing our collections closely, you'll notice that we don't follow current fashion trends. Instead, we always try to explore various craft clusters and aim to introduce innovation within existing design repertoires. This requires collaborative work with the artisans, pushing our boundaries and creating something unique without altering the core values of a craft and its practitioners. Our collection Dabu is a prime example of this collaborative effort where we worked with the age-old technique of mud-resist block printing, drawing inspiration from regional flora to create engineered hand-block printing designs for saris and garments. For the presentation of this collection, we recreated the environment of a traditional Dabu workshop, bridging the gap between the creator, the product, and the customer.With the upcoming wedding and festive season in India, what key elements or themes can we expect in your new collection?This year, we began with our collection ÉTÉ, which translates to "summer" in French. This collection delved into the cross-pollination of cultures, blending Tamil and French influences, particularly reflecting life in Pondicherry during the 1850s. We are now extending this exploration by experimenting with various design elements from another South Indian region, incorporating foreign influences observed over time through both material and visual language. So, you can look forward to a taste of South India in our upcoming festive collection.What are some of the challenges you face when designing for such a diverse and vibrant market as the Indian wedding industry?There are several challenges, including over-consumption and a saturated market, but the situation is also exciting. Over time, we've learned that our clientele is deeply invested in culture, textiles, and innovation with a simplistic approach. This insight helps us stay focused and maintain a niche that aligns perfectly with their interests.Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you're particularly excited about?We are very excited about our festive collection and how it's shaping up.What advice would you give aspiring fashion designers looking to make their mark in the industry?Be original, empathetic and hard-working.