20.7.10

Interview with Bibhu Mohapatra: Fashion’s newest star-Vogue India






VOGUE INDIA

JULY 21, 2010

Interview with Bibhu Mohapatra: Fashion’s newest fare

If there are two things Bibhu exudes, its humility and candor. Add unassuming to the mixture and it just isn’t your typical designer behavior. Bibhu Mohapatra, Orissa-born designer, FIT graduate, Assistant Designer at Halston, Design Director for nine years at J. Mendel who finally launched his own label in 2009 Fall – is all about putting personality over fashion and individualistic style over image-enhancing brand mania. From designing for the stars like Cate Blanchett, Salma Hayek and Sienna Miller to being selected as part of the CDFA Fashion Incubator program, to receiving the Young Innovator Award from the National Arts Club, Bibhu is all set to take his fashion stakes a notch higher this year. His Fall 2010 collection is another feather in his cap with In conversation with Vogue India on his visit to the office, Bibhu, in all modesty, tells us why brand India is making waves in the west and why his Fall 2010 collection is all about precision.  
 Have you met any Indian designers? Had a chance to look at the work coming out of India?

Personally I haven't met anybody, but I've seen a lot of work come out of India in the recent years. I was at Bombay Electric yesterday and I saw some great work. It's beautiful; I also make it a point to read about every new Indian designer even when I’m in New York. News travels faster, and I think the best work that has been recognized is definitely the designs of Sabyasachi and Rajesh Pratap Singh. I love nachiket actually, Very promising young designer.

The news is clear, India is on the radar.  People are very well aware of Indian designers in the west; they want to experience all that’s new out there. There's a lot of amazing talent and many new things to say.
Odd choice that you have decided to launch your label in recession?

It's a little bit by design, a little bit by luck. In the last year, 500,000 new businesses have started in NYC area alone. Recession is known for entrepreneurship. At this time people have lost their jobs, or have been given the pink slip and they are more prone to take on challenges because they have nothing to lose. For me, any business or anything new that you start, you need some amount of groundwork to bring it up. I would rather do my incubation and my ground work now while the market is still tender and by the time the market turns around, I would have already paid my dues.
Smart strategy, did it work?

It worked. All my designer friends were wondering how it will be. I was the design director for J.Mendel for 9 years and it was a great job, but I really needed the challenge. So I took some time off and then came back and started the brand. I have a Masters in Economics, I needed to begin somewhere.
How difficult is it to stand out among new talent, among much variety out there in NYC? What was tough about working on your own label?

It is extremely tough to stand out and say something important. But it isn't as much difficult if you have something new and exciting to say, through your work. What's tough is the commercial aspect of it. The nitty gritties, the real business side of it- that’s tough. I am very hands-on that way. I take out the garbage at the end of the day; sweep the floors when I come in the morning. Every small thing is a part of the whole process and I love it. Finances, running the business - to me that is the biggest challenge of all.
There must be a lot of pressure as well?

You know every time a collection is out; it’s critically acclaimed or trashed out. Whatever it is, it gets tougher even if you're doing well because you have already set the bar higher. Then, the only choice for you is to perform better. If it's not that, then there is no challenge. I'm happy to take on bigger challenges. I am true to my craft. I believe in small things: getting my fabric, draping it, creating the shape, making paper dolls. I'm super hands on. I do have an understanding in the technicalities. When i was a kid, I would watch my dad put his motorbike apart and try to put it all together. People think I'm a control freak.
Any Indian influences you have brought to your design?

India, it’s my heritage, I can never have enough of Indian influences in my design. But sometimes I have to tone it down because I am trained in the west and my clients are from the west. In many subtle ways though, be it the fit, the drape or the colour, the 
jali work on modern materials- all of it, it’s very Indian. The juxtaposition of opposites is my design philosophy. Taking something old world to make something modern, or taking something very masculine to make it very feminine.What’s the inspiration for your Fall 2010 collection?

I was always fascinated by the fascist era in Europe, the 30s when Hollywood was at its peak, when aviation was big. I’ve loved the movie, Conformista and it gave me the canvas. I remember a scene when they would make clothes with metal straps for people and they would measure them to the precise inches, because human bodies are not 100 % symmetrical. I was fascinated by the whole movement. Metal straps are tough to sew; needles have to be changed all the time. My attempt was not to romanticize the era; it’s to show you how people lived every day during a certain time.
How do you describe a woman who wears your label? 

I think it would be someone who has a real passion for life, someone who loves life. Definitely not someone who is passionate about fashion, but someone who is passionate about art, literature or even raising kids, or having a  family. Someone who is dynamic, who does things for herself and for her life. I don’t want to categorise them into any age category, they can be anyone from 20s to their 60s. I find women fascinating, in every woman I met, I experience something new in them.
Icon who fit your bill?

Definitely Cate Blanchett. I dressed her once and I've seen her and I think she is her own self even if she’s wearing a design. She has that aura about her, it’s really inspiring. My outfits lend her a crutch to be herself.
Isn't it sometimes the other way around, designers wanting to dress a certain woman and make her become a part of their tribe, their design? 

That’s not true, then, I might as well, make a mannequin wear my dress. The clothes come to life, and it should be what they do to the clothes, not the other way around. I think in India, Kareena Kapoor wears beautiful clothes, but it’s not about the dress, it’s what she is doing to that dress. It is then that fashion comes alive.
Have you had a chance to understand Bollywood? Have you dressed up any Bollywood celebrities?

Actually in 2008, I was dragged by a friend to the sets of Teen Patti and I played a small cameo in the movie, with Big B. I was excited to be on the set, I loved playing an extra. I love Bollywood, I have great respect for the craft. It’s all about team work and that’s common between Bollywood and me. Katrina Kaif is a classic beauty, she’s very strong. I also Dimple Kapadia, my all time favourite. I would love to dress up Aishwarya, Kajol and Deepika. I have the biggest film library at home, Bollywood is like 
dal-chawal.What does fashion mean to you?

To me it’s a marriage between art and commerce. It starts from art and then depending on how far you take it, it could be anything. Fashion has to go beyond the gallery. For me fashion has to go beyond art into a common person's life. If it cannot do that, then its just art. I want it to touch someone’s life every day.
Give us five style essentials every woman must have?
A classic LBD, the perfect high heels, the most amazing perfume, an evening clutch and curiosity about new things in life.

8.7.10

Post card from India by Bibhu


Bibhu Mohapatra's Indian Vacation
Posted THURSDAY JULY 8, 2010
From WWD.COM
Bibhu Mohapatra
Bibhu Mohapatra
Photo By Courtesy Photo
Bibhu Mohapatra
Bibhu Mohapatra
Photo By: Courtesy Photo
Bibhu Mohapatras signature
Bibhu Mohapatra's signature.
Photo By: Courtesy Photo
After a 16-hour flight, I arrived after midnight in steamy hot Bombay, a city that is always awake. Once at the Taj Lands End hotel, I slept like a baby on those fine Rajasthani cotton sheets and woke up to a stunning view of the Arabian sea, waves crashing on the rocks along the famous Bandstand area across from the hotel. (The Bandstand is where some of my favorite Bollywood movie stars live, and so every time I left the hotel, I found myself all starry-eyed, hoping for a glimpse of the greatest, most glamorous actress, Rekha.)

My first day started with a hearty breakfast of a masala egg-white omelet, fresh fruit and coffee. I had a meeting with my friend Max at the hotel’s coffee shop and then a typical vegetarian Gujarati lunch with my friend Siddharth at his beautiful and serene studio on Juhu Tara Road. I spent the rest of the afternoon hunting for fabrics, both new and antique, from Kalaniketan to Saroj Fabrics to Mughal Moments and the merchants depot. I found things that were really exciting and unique in colors that I have never seen before. That evening I went to Aurus, Bombay’s most hip and chic restaurant with a menu out of this world. I called it an early night, as I had a flight the next morning to Orissa, where I was going to see my family. I could hardly wait.  

I arrived just in time for lunch at home, with warm mutton Biryani and onion raita waiting for me. Good Biryani is one of my most favorite Mughal dishes. I spent the afternoon with Dad catching up on the last 18 months and visited some of my favorite places, including my beloved tailor, Ability, whose family has been in tailoring for generations since the British Raj. I gave them a reorder of white cotton shirts and some slacks, which they had to turn around in three days and they did. Evenings I was mostly with my two young nieces, Esha and Roma (14 and eight), out shopping and munching on delicious street food like pani puri.

During my last two days in Orissa, between the newly arrived monsoon showers, I went shopping for local arts and crafts. I found some amazing silver filigree objects. (Silver filigree and the traditional ikat fabrics are two of the crafts that Orissa is famous for.) Then it was back to Bombay for a few days and some spare time for inspiring visits to several modern Indian galleries in Colaba, where I saw some beautiful Souzas, Hussains, Khers, all art heroes in India. My trip ended with a nice dinner with friends. It was hard to say goodbye to India, but I know I will be back very soon.


Mahesh Lunch Home
8-B Cawasji Patel Street, Fort
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
022-2287-0983

 
Aurus Juhu
12/A Gr Flr Nichani Kutir, Juhu Tara Road
Juhu, Mumbai, India
 
Saroj Fabrics
14th Road, Khar West
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
022-2600-0544
 
FabIndia
Mahran, Plot #16, Juhu Vile Development Scheme
Vile Parle (W), Mumbai, India
022-2620-6339


Editor’s note: Designer Bibhu Mohapatra returned recently from a vacation in India.

7.7.10

Who? Bibhu? an Interview in The telegraph, Calcutta


Shradha Agarwal
 
Who? BIBHU!

Facebook may not be the boss’s best friend but some good things do come out of it. For instance, an interview with Orissa-born, Manhattan-based fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra. In less than 24 hours, New York fashion’s hottest Indian face had accepted t2’s friend request and allotted time for an interview!
The 37-year-old Mohapatra is one of those rare, fuss-free members of the fashion frat. On the phone, oceans apart, he sounds like a typical desi boy, talking passionately about mum’s fashion influences, with an accent that sounds more Latino than American. And when we tell him that it’s great to be chatting with him, he bowls us over with the following words: “It is truly an honour to be a part of The Telegraph, a paper I grew up reading daily. The fact that I am on the phone with you means a lot.”
Mohapatra’s label is barely three seasons old at New York Fashion Week. He made his debut with a fall 2009 collection but having been design director at Halston, Mohapatra has been there, dressed her, where the ‘her’ stands for the likes of Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller.
The designer hasn’t presented an India-inspired collection yet, though he says that the influence is everywhere. He has, however, touched upon Japanese armaments, Italian films and X-rays! A t2 conversation with Bibhu on everything from home to haute couture…
How often do you visit your family in India?
Earlier I used to come back home twice a year but this June I came after a year and half. Ever since I launched my label I haven’t been able to make it so often but I am not going to do that anymore. Coming back home is amazing. The energy is different. It makes me feel alive the minute my plane lands.
Do you like Calcutta?
Calcutta is the biggest city nearest to Rourkela. It is one of my favourite cities in the world. There are few cities that have such strong cultures. People in Calcutta have a strong passion for their culture. They believe in their culture, fight for their culture and live for their culture. They might also complain about the excessive heat and rain but one thing that binds them all together is their culture.
You always knew that design was your destiny?
Oh yes! I remember an old Singer sewing machine at home that belonged to my grandmother. It had a pedal. My mom taught me how to use it when I was 12 years old. I used to find it so intriguing, how a flat piece of material could be made into an object that had so many uses. My sister was very supportive, the atrocities she had to bear when I used to wake her up in the middle of the night to try on clothes! Since I had no formal training, I remember being on the floor, cutting, sewing…. It helped keep my curiosity alive and I knew that this was the best way to express my creativity. Some express through words, some on canvas and some write poetry, this is it for me.
I came abroad to study economics after I got a scholarship. In India there weren’t many places to study fashion so I knew I had to leave the country. I finished my masters and then joined FIT, New York.
Your parents always supported your decision?
Yes. Thanks to my mom for teaching me, supporting me and encouraging me. My engineer dad is where my technical acumen comes from. I remember him taking me to the factories to see how what works. Often he used to open up his motorbike to fix things and I saw how the wheels worked. His car used to be open for dissection very regularly. All this taught me and inspired me to look beyond what I could see on the skin. In Paris, I looked at the Pompidou Center for hours. It fascinated me to see the structure inside out! That comes from my dad.
Name: Bibhu Mohapatra
DoB: 7.6.1973
Place of birth: Rourkela, Orissa, India
Education: Patha Vidyalaya School and Municipal College in Rourkela, Masters in Economics at Utah State University and then Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
CV highlights: Internship at Halston, design director of J. Mendel, now the Bibhu Mohapatra label
Claim to fame: Recently acquired Council of Fashion Designers of America membership
My mom has given me my sense of style. She has taught me how individual style is so beautiful, what you appreciate on someone else might not be good for you. For her, style is all about being comfortable and she has an innate sense of sophisticated style. She might like a choker on someone else but she knows her own style is more bangles — red, green, gold ones…
The day I was boarding that first flight from Calcutta to New York 13-14 years ago, my father told me in my hotel room to never forget the people who have contributed to making me the person I am. He said the day you forget your first steps, that is the end of it. My mother was not happy about him lecturing me, but my dad felt it was only right!
What was your first feeling on setting foot in New York?
I was totally fascinated. The energy, the people, the creative minds, it was really inspiring, quite like Calcutta actually.
What is your favourite art form from Orissa?
I love the ikkat and the simple Sambalpuri saris. I also love the silver filigree work. Whenever I come back home, I am always on the hunt for some beautiful things. The craftsmanship is so unbelievable, it is all ever so inspiring.
Are we going to see an India-inspired collection soon then?
Yes, soon. I am researching and reading. I click many photographs. Last time, when I was on an overnight train from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela, I took some beautiful images from the window — tribal villagers, so elegant and so beautiful, all dressed in saturated colours with their nose-rings and tattooed foreheads. There is so much in India. It already contributes subtly in all of my collections.
What are your favourite modern shapes?
I like architectural shapes. You can’t put any shape on any body, except on the runway. In reality, it has to look and feel flattering.
Your clothes strike a smooth balance of intelligence and glamour…
That goes back to the woman I am designing for. She has to have passion, and not necessarily for fashion. She could cook, garden or be a mother doing it all. She has to take time to know herself and understand herself. A woman should know a super sexy dress doesn’t need $500 hair. The make-up should also be kept simple to let the true self come out. The real balance has to be struck between the dress and the persona of the person wearing the dress. If the dress takes over the persona or the persona takes over the dress, it is a failure.
You began with Halston and then were design director of J. Mendel. What do you miss most about being in a large design house?
I miss the logistics, the resources, the tools and the team. For instance, in a short span of time I could do much more with the artisans. In the same day, I could be working on a gown with someone and a coat with someone else. Some day, I will also build a team but right now, in the current scenario, the realities are different.
What don’t you miss?
I don’t miss that fact that it is not 100 per cent my creativity. Though I was design director, I was still designing for someone else’s customer, not my own. Now I do and that is a challenge. So yes, I don’t miss that lack of challenge.
When did you realise that you had made it big?
(Long pause) I don’t think I am there yet. If you look at the trade off, I am here thousands of miles away with the help of friends, family and well-wishers to pursue first my studies and now my career and it is during instances such as this phone conversation that I feel like I am on the right track.
But yes, I am lucky to have had many breaks and many opportunities, especially in the past two years. The biggest honour is to have been recently inducted in the Council of Fashion Designers of America. But does that mean I have made it? No. There is so much more to achieve. And there is so much more to give back. I like the idea of having a challenge ahead of me. When you look at the world of art, fashion, literature, so much great work is being done. It makes me feel that I have only scratched the surface. Hopefully, I will make it well inside!
What is the quality that sets you apart?
I would think it is a combination of a few things. Definitely determination and drive, luck of meeting the right people and of course, some talent has to be there!
What did you do right to get so far?
I can’t answer that! I never thought of it like that….
There has to be something you can think of…
Hmm. Maybe I wasn’t afraid to work hard, non-stop. I started working in Halston while I was studying, I worked nights after spending the day at school, sitting like a sponge and absorbing it all. It’s about making the right choices.
Is it easier for an Indian designer to make a mark internationally if they begin in the West?
I think you can make a mark from anywhere, as long as you are ready. You have to know what you want to say. India is an amazing platform today. Bodies like IMG and Lakme are doing so much for the industry, they are supporting young designers. It’s the same thing in the West but it’s a whole different market. I was a student here, then I worked here, so it made sense for me to launch my label here.
Many established designers from India come here to show and they have made a mark. Sabyasachi Mukherjee for example. He has something new to say and his clothes make sense. So he is successful. I also like Rajesh Pratap Singh and Nachiket Barve.
Do you think the Indian fashion industry is on the right track? Can you see yourself as a part of it?
It’s completely on track. There is so much creativity and so much talent. I would love to participate there. I had a couple of interesting meetings in India. But the industry has to be more in sync with the West. End-work has to reach the end-customer; it should not just finish with the magazine pages.
How are you so grounded?
I hope to drop dead before the day comes that I have an attitude.
Any non-fashion indulgences?
I am a movie buff. I had a fling with Bollywood a year-and-a-half ago. I was in a party scene of Teen Patti, wedged between Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan, with lines to say. Needless to say, I messed up. I felt like I was standing naked on Chowringhee! It was a fraction-of-a-second scene but I spent a whole day on the set. I have great respect for the craft.
Who would you rather dress — Michelle Obama or Lady Gaga:Michelle Obama
Paper or Photoshop:It’s all pencil and paper. I am also a hands-on drape guy
Fall-winter or spring-summer:Fall-winter. It’s a bigger canvas, a lot more can be done
Black or red:Red. It implies lots of things. It’s the colour I grew up with
Favourite Halston dress from SATC 2:The pleated orange dress Carrie wears when she is upset
iPhone or BlackBerry:iPhone
Hollywood or Bollywood:Bollywood
Favourite Bollywood actors:
Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Rekha, Dimple, Suchitra Sen and Aamir Khan
Ultimate style icon:US Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo, Cate Blanchett and Julia Roberts
Favourite red carpet walkers:Cate Blanchett. She lights up any red carpet. Also Charlize Theron and Marion Cotillard


 
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Hillary Swank in Bibhu Mohapatra

Hillary Swank in Bibhu Mohapatra
on way to Late show in New York

Me

Me
in the studio

Bibhu Mohapatra fall 2009 Presentation