The Indian stylist and founder of the brand Dhruv Kapoor talks about the co-ed autumn-winter 2023-24 collection, the meaning of well-being linked to fashion and his point of view.

Driven by the desire to undermine traditional conventions to reward the individual version of people, <a href="https://dhruvkapoor.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dhruv Kapoor</a> founded his eponymous label in 2013. His co-ed collections combine the maximalist aesthetic - driven by his Indian origins - with minimalist aesthetics, instead learned from his stay in Milan. His goal is to break the mental schemes by focusing on the intangible aspect of the clothes that generate different sensations and moods. At the moment he is working on the next collection that will be presented during Milan Fashion Week : &laquo;We have almost finished the collection that we will present in June and we can't wait for everything to come to life&raquo;. 
L'OFFICIEL ITALIA: When did the spark strike for fashion? DHRUV KAPOOR: During school I noticed my inclination towards design. I was very intrigued by the way fashion expressed and communicated in an individual way. A person may not say a word yet tell a story through their clothes: who they are, what they represent and how they want to be perceived. LOI: You were born in India, then you moved to Milan to study fashion design and started your career at Etro. How does your background in the Dhruv Kapoor brand translate? DK: My brand is an eclectic mix of all the vibrancy and excess that India has to offer, all mixed with the minimal aesthetic, tailored cuts and attention to detail that I have acquired through my stay in Milan. My education and work experience at Etro shuffled the tables as during this time I learned the art of printmaking and how a brand works.

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LOI: During the last Milan Fashion Week you presented your latest co-ed fashion show. How does the male and female universe coexist? DK: Unity is at the heart of everything, we at Kapoor aim to break traditional stereotypes. My team and I consciously aim to cater to a gender-free contemporary system, free from social or political constraints, where unity is key. Each piece is an extension of one&#39;s personality, I like to see our audience combine multiple traits that suit their personality and how they want to be perceived, without being swayed by something as restrictive as gender. LOI: What is the relationship between functionality and aesthetics in your collections? DK: Fit is key. Each piece plays a functional role and maintains a feel-good factor thanks to some energy-boosting details. For example our blazers are enriched with rechargeable crystals or minerals, quartz can be charged during a full moon night to protect our energy and purify our aura. Then we also work a lot on the color theories that are used to activate parts of the brain that in turn influence the state of mind.

LOI: You work a lot with prints, applications, graphics and decorative elements... How do you develop your research into decoration? DK: It&#39;s a series of trials and tests. We like to experiment with new techniques, collect swatches, explore a huge range of materials throughout the year and select the ones that fit best with our seasonal message. It gives me great joy to work with the skilled Indian artisans to help them update their skills, exploring new materials and color combinations that move away from their traditional palette. LOI: You also made the Godzilla x Kapoor capsule collection. How did the idea come about? DK: The collection called &quot;The Embracer&quot; seeks to educate our audience to embrace all of our releases, in a way to embrace their own individuality that we want to project. Godzilla came at the right time and we seamlessly integrated him into our narrative. We reproduced the monsters as if they were different personality traits, each with a superpower that makes them the heroes of our planet.

LOI: Do you have any designers of reference? DK: So many, I especially admire Ms. Prada with her seasonal narratives. I really like his approach, I always learn something new even on a personal level. LOI: What inspires you for your collections? DK: The conversations and flights of fancy. Each collection is born as a reaction to a conversation with people I&#39;ve met or a mindset I&#39;ve assimilated while reading. My goal is to break the mental limits and I always dream of being able to transmit knowledge by focusing on the intangible aspect of the clothes and the sensations they generate. Our starting point is a simple question: “How do you want to feel?” LOI: How would you describe your approach to tailoring? DK: We do a lot of testing before packing a sample. On the surface it might seem simple, but before we get to that point we do a lot of research and fit testing. Each fabric behaves differently and through multiple variations and trials, we can determine the best techniques to use.

LOI: What are your trademarks in terms of products? DK: The tie-up shirts, <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/jeans-trend-spring-2023-to-buy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baggy jeans</a> and embellished outerwear that are my favorites. The bag is slowly becoming our new showpiece, with new versions to be introduced in June. LOI: Do you like the idea of pairing your creative vision with a few other brands? DK: The more the merrier. I am always excited to collaborate and build collectively. Whether it's someone with mixed or like-minded opinions. I also learn a lot from the process and that's my favorite part of a collaboration. Then, the result is always a surprise. LOI: What are your goals for the future? DK: We want to continue to empower everything we do, where unity is key. I would like our brand to remind people of their true potential and help them project their best self. For next year we want to further expand our portfolio of bags and expand our collections also on lifestyle products.

New Frontiers: the interview with Dhruv Kapoor

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