Designer Dhruv Kapoor always strives to push contemporary wear beyond the ordinary. Each pattern and striking silhouettes from his collection weave an interesting tale, including his latest Fall Winter 2023 collection, The Embracer—which was launched at Milan Fashion Week—that is inspired by Toho’s popular movie franchise, Godzilla. In a conversation with Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, the travel-enthusiast talks about this latest collection, his favourite destination for fashion, and more.
Excerpts from the interview with Dhruv Kapoor:
T+L India: Tell us more about your new collection, The Embracer. What was the inspiration behind it?
Dhruv Kapoor: The Embracer revolves around the concept of alter-egos. It plays with multiple versions of self and embracing each version. You can be soft and fierce; vulnerable and strong. You can be an amalgamation of the traditional and contemporary; a romantic and realist. Your obedience can be met with rebellion and your femininity with fire. We live in a universe of different perceptions where paradoxes can be full of possibilities.
T+L India: What can one expect to see in this collection?
Dhruv Kapoor: Fall Winter 2023 juxtaposes polar mindsets, bringing them in perfect sync through unusual pairings: a vibrant mix of colours and patterns that seamlessly fuse tradition and technology, birthing a new aesthetic for modern society. This collection explores multiple facets of our myriad selves—from asymmetric tailoring to slouchy sweatpants and giant tracksuits to distressed denim. A play on proportions and a wide array of textiles, that are part recycled and part upcycled, remain constant.
T+L India: You’ve showcased Toho’s Godzilla in your collection. What inspired you to pick this franchise?
Dhruv Kapoor: I have always been fascinated with the film Godzilla. This season, we had the opportunity to work with the franchise. I wanted to approach the aspect in a positive light where we use the monsters as our personality traits–each with its own superpower, habits, and skills.
T+L India: How was your experience of showcasing the collection at Milan Fashion Week?
Dhruv Kapoor: It has always been a dream to showcase at a platform as prestigious as Milan during fashion week. The feeling is unmatched. Milan boasts a mix of tradition and technology [which is] key to our brand ideology. The experience is an ever-evolving one. I am always excited to meet new mindsets during our trips to Milan, and develop new networks and memories with our growing audiences from around the world.
T+L India: What makes the The Embacer collection different from your previous collections?
Dhruv Kapoor: Each season is a development from the first one. The brand retains a spiritual undercurrent to each collection and we deepen the idea each season. Last season, we spoke about the power of visualisation and we arrived at the concept of self-acceptance.
T+L India: How does travel influence you as a designer?
Dhruv Kapoor: Each collection is heavily influenced by my travels. I am always intrigued by the floating ideologies around me. We seasonally project a collection as a reaction to some of these mindsets. I enjoy travelling and meeting new people. I am always fascinated with the mind and the thought process of an individual, which we later translate through colour, shape and patterns.
T+L India: Your collections often incorporate striking prints and silhouettes. How do you narrow down on the designs that make the cut?
Dhruv Kapoor: The slashing process while building the collection is the biggest step. On average, we would play with 100-150 prints each season and cut them down to three or four that best fit the message and help us stress on the story.
T+L India: Which is your favourite destination for fashion?
Dhruv Kapoor: Japan. The fearless street-style energy gets me going. I am forever amazed by the amount of effort placed into the dressing and the immaculate attention to detail.
Ralan Kithan
Junior Content Producer
Ralan writes about fashion, travel, and lifestyle. With a post-graduate degree in journalism, he has also worked with The Hindu focusing on lifestyle and entertainment. Watching critically acclaimed films and scrolling through trending reels on Instagram are some of his favorite pastimes, and when he is not in the rabbit hole of entertainment, he loves to garden.
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