Lakme Fashion Week’s Mumbai edition is scheduled to commence on March 9, 2023. Close to 25 years since its inception, the buzz around the highly-anticipated fashion show has only gotten bigger over time. While the line-up this year entails some of the biggest design names in the country, a volley of surprise entries have also been thrown into the mix. In a freewheeling chat with the designer, Deepit Chugh shares the inside track with us— his LFW showcase, in partnership with FDCI, from Line Outline, scheduled for March 10, future plans on the work front, and everything in between.

Ready-To-Wear Outfits With A Narrative Fluid

A quick glance at Chugh’s collection brings two things to the fore: His outfits are tailored with immaculate precision, and they are the fruits of the labors of local tailors and craftsmen. Chugh is an alumnus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi—the batch of 2011. He has worked for the Raymond Group and Pantaloons before venturing out on his own.

Excerpts:

Take us through your journey so far. What have been the biggest takeaways yet?

The brand’s journey has been nothing short of exciting over the past 4 collections. We started off during the lockdown by employing masters, tailors, and embroiderers who worked remotely. We managed to launch our first collection, Chapter 1 in October 2020. Soon after, we were available on designer portals like Tata Cliq indiluxe, Pernia’s pop-up, Aza, and Curato, which helped the brand gain momentum. The team at Who Wore What When, Isha Bansali, and a few other stylists took notice of us and helped the brand reach a wider audience by styling their celebrity clients in Line Outline. Our best year was 2021, when we won the Reputed INIFD presents FDCI X LFW Gen next programme, followed by winning the Elle graduates menswear designer of the year. This gave us the much-needed push to open our own studio in 2022. We’ve taken baby steps all the way, and my biggest learning this year is that a designer must have persistence, perseverance, and patience.

What made you zero in on lines as the theme of your collection? What was your train of thoughts like?

Line Outline is a range of ready-to-wear clothing with a fluid narrative, blending in clean tailored looks with sporty minimalism. The label is for those who chart their own paths and follow their own lines. The label pushes the semantic dialogue within the creative industry exploring the lines between form and function driven by an experimental yet wearable approach. The aesthetic is carefully created using a range of interesting fabrics, and construction techniques to ensure a subtle curated wardrobe solution for the modern customer.

The excitement is inarguably high for Lakme Fashion Week 2023, as it has always been. What can we expect from your showcase?

We have an exciting range of tailored looks mixed with the Idea of separates and elements of sporty details. As a brand creating interesting separates, we feel the idea of multiple-use garments is the way to go forward. We have some fun prints, cor-ord sets and intricate hand-embroidered pieces highlighting our runway looks this season.

What has been your inspiration behind the collection?

Line Outline has always taken key inspiration from various forms of architecture. Keeping the brand’s aesthetics in line or curated tailored looks with sporty minimalism, we felt this season’s inspiration of Streamline Moderne architecture from the 1930s is a fun way to create a new wardrobe for the modern man. The futuristic look it had in the 30s and adding sporty details, curating a collection that is relevant to the current menswear market. We feel clothing should be multifunctional, so apart from owning statement pieces, one must also comfortably be able to create new looks by wearing pieces differently based on the occasion.

One celeb that you would want to design for

Harry Styles for sure. His experimental approach toward his clothing is something that we feel would work well for our brand. His fluid masculinity is something that we resonate with.  

A designer you look up to

Giorgio Armani is a designer I look up to. His clothing line is easy and elegant while making you look sharp and well put together.  

Lead Image: Line Outline/Instagram