Royan'ista in heritage hues

Most children are happy with a wardrobe of trendy buys from the neighbourhood mall. But not this young new designer who made heads turn at the recently concluded Blender’s Pride Bangalore Fashion Week with her label Rani Pink Studio. Indrani Royan, who grew up in Assam and shifted base to Bengaluru after getting married, recalls instances from her childhood, that prove that she was always a couturier waiting to unleash her talent. “I was always fashionable and used to get my clothes done the way I wanted from my tailor,” she begins.

But as it is with most women expectantly waiting for that outfit with the perfect fit from the tailor around the block, Royan was never satisfied with the way her clothes turned out. “It never matched my expectations, so I wanted to design my own clothes and stitch them myself.

This was really what steered me towards this career. My love for fabrics, colours and just everything to do with the art and being able to express myself through it, is what keeps me going,” enthuses the talented designer.  

Taking inspiration from colours, nature and art, she notes that her constant need to do something that has never been attempted before is what will help her win the rat race. “My style of work is always inspired by nature and colours. I am constantly in search of something new that has not been seen or done before.

My work is inspired by art and by art, I mean all forms. I also take inspiration from heritage embroideries and try to add something new to it for generations to come,” shares Royan, whose father retired as the principal of a college in Assam and her mother is an economics professor.

While Royan lives and breathes fashion, she is certainly not one to limit herself to just one interest. Describing herself as a dreamer and a romantic she says, “Indian music is something I’ve been inclined to for as long as I can remember.

Being a singer myself, I find a lot of peace listening to my kind of music. I love travelling and everything associated with it. Also, different cuisines never fail to interest me. ”

Counting Coco Chanel and Sabysachi among her idols, she reveals that it’s the people of the city that made her fall in love with Bengaluru.  “Bangalore is famous for its weather. But what I just love about it is its people. I think they are well-educated and well behaved. Their mannerisms and culture are indeed very impressive, apart from the filter coffee and vegetarian delicacies,” she tells us.

Busy prepping her studio for the next season, she lets us in on her 10-year plan. “In 10 years, I hope to have made my mark as a designer in India. I have a lot of ideas about how I would like to see traditional fabrics in mainstream fashion. In addition to making beautiful garments, I think as a designer, it is also my responsibility to keep our rich heritage alive in whatever way I can,” she signs off.