IN some ways, it must feel quite arrogant that two Australian designers are bringing clothes to a country that has such a rich and wonderful history of fashion. We thought long and hard before we did it,? said Lydia Pearson of the Australian fashion design duo Easton Pearson at the announcement of their foray into India on June 19.
But Pearson and Pamela Easton are no strangers to the country. For the past 20 years, they have been making three-four trips annually here. ?We have been coming to India for 20 years. It wasn?t until the last five years that we felt we had anything relevant to say to the Indian fashion market because, until that time, there was such a wonderful tradition of saris and salwar-kameezes here. But now, the Indian market is changing very rapidly. We feel we have a slightly different point of view from a lot of established Indian designers and are hoping that there will be a market for us here,? said Pearson.
Although the designers have been working on and off closely with Indian artisans and craftspeople?mainly from the Kutch region of Gujarat?since the time they were introduced to them by a friend in India 20 years ago, this is the first time their designs will be available in India in stand-alone stores, shop-in-shops and select boutiques.
The designers have collaborated with RB Enterprises International, which will manufacture, produce and distribute their clothes in India. ?We will be doing the Wills Fashion Week in October where we will be showcasing Easton Pearson garments,? said Pravin Hanotia, retail head, RB Enterprises International.
The garments, he said, will be available in shop-in-shops in the metros by July-end and on a pan-India basis by December. They will be priced between R7,000 and R20,000, he said.
Easton Pearson designs are imbued with a love of effusive colour, pattern, embroidery and embellishment that adapts an Indian aesthetic to a distinctly western silhouette, marrying playful irreverence and contemporary sophistication.
?Our characteristic style of layering and mixing and matching colour and pattern will, we think, appeal to the Indian woman who is looking for a new way to dress,? said Pearson.
A premiere Australian designer label, Easton Pearson enjoys a loyal international customer base, and is stocked in Australia through David Jones as well as select boutiques, in addition to their two stand-alone stores in Brisbane and Sydney.