Intro
Chennai-based fashion designer Chaitanya Rao is known for his edgy creations. Styling major Kollywood stars and showcasing his collections at several fashion weeks successfully, he is currently working on a new line under his eponymous label. In conversation with LifeAndTrendz.com, he opens up about getting into fashion, entering Kollywood, his inspirations and also which celebrity has the best fashion sense in Kollywood and Bollywood.
Chaitanya Rao – https://www.instagram.com/chaitanyarao_official/
How did you get into fashion? Tell us about the start of your journey in the Kollywood fashion space?
My mom studied art and our house was filled with her artwork and books. That was my first moment of inspiration and I started sketching when I was nine or 10 years old. Then I dove into sketching women in fashion clothes without knowing that it was designing. I understood that I wanted to pursue a career in the fashion industry. After my school, I did a course in cutting and stitching in Bengaluru. Then, I came back to Chennai and got a job at ColorPlus as a merchandising and designing executive. I did my day job and enrolled myself for Economics at Loyola in the evening. Then, I met the Asrani sisters (Savitha and Upasana Asrani) who were launching the first multi-designer store in Chennai. I did my first collection for them. That collection mainly consisted of Western silhouettes with Indian fabrics.
I was interested in working on films, and I happened to meet Priya Balasubramaniam who was doing the costumes for Minsara Kanavu directed by Rajiv Menon. She offered me to join her and I assisted her for three years. We worked on about seven or eight projects with many leading stars including Aravind Swamy, Prabhudeva, Surya and Simran.
Later, Gautam Menon, who had seen my works previously, asked me to do the costumes for the ‘Vaseegara’ song from Minnale. That’s how my journey started as an independent costume designer in Kollywood. I started fashion designing with a very keen interest but getting into Kollywood was entirely by chance. I did costumes for the movies Ghajini, Kannathil Muthamittal, and New, for female actors like Asin, Jyothika, Simran, Trisha, Nayanthara, and male actors like Vikram, Dhanush, and Ajith. I have also worked on many ad films.
Can you tell us about some of the interesting projects that you worked on?
I always say that my next work is the best one. With regard to my earlier work, each project comes with its own characteristics. I love my debut collection in Lakme Fashion Week. It was very well appreciated and it got featured in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
Films-wise, I would say Ghajini, Aaytha Ezhuthu (2004), and Thani Oruvan stand out to me.
How do you think the fashion industry has changed since you started your career?
People are recognising fashion designers nowadays. When I started as a costume designer, people didn’t understand what it entailed. They thought it was a tailoring business. Now the audience understands how much work goes into costume designing and the thought process behind it. Costume designers are valued and respected for their ideas and their skills, and it makes me really happy to see such progress in our society.
Being a costume designer, you have to have your own sense of style and originality, you have to understand the different fashion seasons, and you have to brainstorm new collections for each season. And in the modern era, you have to keep in mind the sustainability factor too without compromising on the quality of the design or the material.
My collection has always won on the sustainable scale because my clients have told me that they still wear my pieces even after 10 years and that the fabric and style are on trend. My outlook on it is that we should produce pieces that are classic and high in quality, and that can withstand many fashion seasons.
Our society has always been pro-sustainable in fashion. Our mothers and grandmothers pass down their pure silk sarees and high-quality pieces to us. Unfortunately, western culture has come in, also known as fast fashion, which is not great for our environment. It is important to keep our values in mind while we shop.
Which do you love more, designing for the runway or for films?
It is very tough, to be honest. But I do love the energy of the runway.
Doing films is great, it takes a lot of your time and you will be fully booked for the entire shooting process which is eight to 10 months at a stretch. I love creating my collections, and I love the process behind it, which I have to put on pause when I am working on films.
The runway is a whole different ball game. The fashion shows are done in a very organised way and the entire energy of a fashion runway makes me excited. You have a season to prepare your new collection and you have your audience, buyers, and magazines to look at your work. I love the glamour and drama that the runway has.
Do you think fashion is art, or is it all about function and practicality?
Showcasing fashion on the runway is different. It has a dramatic element to it, you are creating a fantasy on the runway. During a fashion week, you have to engage your audience with the fantasy and the theatrics. There will be more than 100 shows that your audience might see, and you have to stand out from the rest to showcase your art. You are creating an illusion, an art for the runway.
When it comes to the commercial market, you adapt your line to the needs of your buyers. You keep the practicality aspect in mind when your pieces come to the store.
So, fashion is a mix of art and practicality.
RAPID FIRE
Your designer icons.
Alexander Mcqueen, Vivienne Westwood, Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Shahab Durazi.
One current trend that you love.
I am glad that the wide-legged pants are making a comeback
One current trend that you hate.
Extremely distressed jeans, acid-washed jeans.
One trend you would like to see come back.
The whole point of fashion is to embrace the new and of course fashion comes and goes around in a circle with its own unique twists.
Celebrity with the best fashion sense in Kollywood and Bollywood?
Kollywood – Nayanthara, Trisha.
Bollywood – Sonam Kapoor, Ranveer Singh.
Wardrobe staples that everyone must have.
A good dark blue denim, a well-tailored shirt/ blouse, a classic black dress, a statement jewellery piece and a classic co-ord set.
Advice to someone thinking about becoming a fashion designer.
The fashion industry does look glamorous, and it’s great to be part of this industry, but there is a very important side to it, and that is the business side. First, you need to work with an established designer to understand how the industry works; you have to learn about creating new silhouettes, manufacturing and of course, selling those pieces. It involves a lot of expenses too, such as photoshoots, styling, and producing new collections for every season.
So don’t be in a hurry to start your own label, you have to learn the structure of the industry and develop your sense of style before launching your label. You should work under someone who can teach you everything, mentor you and ideally help you figure out your business model and help you find investors and business partners. Put in your hard work and be consistent and you will reap its benefits down the lane.
Article by Rajashree Ramachandran
You may also like: An Interview with Mrs. Dhivya Lakshmi Prashant, Executive Director, Pothys Swarna Mahal
We will be delighted to have your thoughts and feedback. Please write to us at editor@lifeandtrendz.com
Follow Life and Trendz on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lifeandtrendz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifeandtrendz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeandTrendz