Fashion designer, feminist, activist, star daughter — Masaba Gupta wears many hats. At 29, Masaba, the founder and creative force behind her eponymous label is one of the most recognised faces of the Indian fashion industry and a household name. Known for her distinctive prints and electric colours, Masaba’s quirky cows and caricatures paved the way for many others to experiment with print.
Design entrepreneur Tija Indarjith of Amortela enthuses “The wait is finally over!” Amortela is the first boutique in the city to house these vivacious clothes. With tops, dresses and ethnic wear for women Tija explains “We have the latest spring-summer collections from Masaba called ‘Tiger Lily’ and the festive line called ‘Burning Garden’.
The collection showcases lightweight, breathable fabrics including crushed cotton, linen mul and chanderi which are perfect for the Chennai heat. We also have some great prints from tigers to pots, to apples! The colour palette also taps into a range of summer moods and includes rich olive, red, warm beiges and her trademark candy pink.”
Expect vibrant fusion wear from the queen of quirk with flowy kaftans, playful salwar sets and more. Known for pushing aesthetic boundaries with her prints, the daughter of actress Neena Gupta and former West-Indian cricketer Viv Richards is also no stranger to controversy. Raised by a single mother in Mumbai in the ’80s, the bicultural designer has shared her thoughts on controversial issues such as the preference for fair skin and body shaming in India.
Masaba is also one of the most active members of the fashion fraternity on social media using her voice not only to promote her clothes but to reach out —“Maybe we need to look at people harder & look at ourselves harder — all with compassion and kindness. Drop your ego and reach out.” she said last week on the death of designer Kate Spade. We couldn’t have said it better. Welcome to Chennai, Masaba! We are delighted to finally have you here.
