A Message of Unity from Ashish
On Monday, September 19th, 2016, Ashish Gupta showcased his latest collection for his self titled line, Ashish, at London’s Fashion Week. The show and the collection itself intertwined cultures and beliefs, forming an image of India in the United Kingdom; a representation of Gupta himself being Indian born and emigrating to Great Britain. Ashish mixes sequins and floral embroidery on deep red and blue A-line skirts to translate a message far beyond the beauty that comes from Indian dress and Hinduism. His incorporation of cotton T-shirts, with sayings of love and devotion, and denim ensembles sported by a model dressed as Vishnu, the supreme being in Hinduism, merges two completely different cultures, and representing their long history together.
Ashish is no stranger when it comes to meshing Indian culture and others together in his designs. The designer has used typical Indian and Bollywood design, in sequins and color on salwars and saris, to voice different messages and different cultures such as the LGBTQ community. This season, Ashish used the collection to bring awareness on the hate many immigrants have been facing in Britain, specifically after the UK’s “Brexit” this year from the European Union. According to Vogue.com, Gupta used the collection to celebrate India as a vital part of British culture rather than focus on the discrimination many immigrants have faced in recent years.
The show was a modern take on an ancient culture, making it relatable to a Millennial demographic seeing the same injustices Ashish has witnessed. The show opens with a blind musician guided to his sitar under a ceiling of multicolored lights; fusing new and old technologies. Ashish pushed a message that could be felt by an audience broader than the Europeans. Gupta added himself to the narrative during his final bow, wearing a shirt that read, “Immigrant.” His message could be related to all continents where racism and bias is prevalent and where immigrant cultures are looked over as the driving force to their countries. He created a collection that packed a powerful message, while maintaining his typical use of eye-catching shine.
