how many of you woke up this morning knowing exactly what you want it to wear
knowing exactly what you want it to wear
knowing exactly what you want it to wear today how many of you changed outfits
today how many of you changed outfits
today how many of you changed outfits did anyone choose to wear a dress
did anyone choose to wear a dress
did anyone choose to wear a dress instead of pants or pens instead of a
instead of pants or pens instead of a
instead of pants or pens instead of a dress now why would you choose to do
dress now why would you choose to do
dress now why would you choose to do that perhaps you were more comfortable
that perhaps you were more comfortable
that perhaps you were more comfortable but what led you to this comfortable and
but what led you to this comfortable and
but what led you to this comfortable and have you ever thought of the
have you ever thought of the
have you ever thought of the circumstances that have occurred in
circumstances that have occurred in
circumstances that have occurred in order for you to dress the way that you
order for you to dress the way that you
order for you to dress the way that you do I was educated in design at a school
do I was educated in design at a school
do I was educated in design at a school in New York where I was told that my
in New York where I was told that my
in New York where I was told that my options for exploring apparel design
options for exploring apparel design
options for exploring apparel design were restricted to menswear and
were restricted to menswear and
were restricted to menswear and womenswear puzzled by the strict divide
womenswear puzzled by the strict divide
womenswear puzzled by the strict divide between the two I chose to focus my
between the two I chose to focus my
between the two I chose to focus my thesis collection on exploring the
thesis collection on exploring the
thesis collection on exploring the possibilities that lay in the gap
possibilities that lay in the gap
possibilities that lay in the gap between the third gender has existed in
between the third gender has existed in
between the third gender has existed in Indian society since the 18th century
Indian society since the 18th century
Indian society since the 18th century other we say women they say neither male
other we say women they say neither male
other we say women they say neither male nor female identifying as both neither
nor female identifying as both neither
nor female identifying as both neither or combination these are the individuals
or combination these are the individuals
or combination these are the individuals that lead a revolution in dress in
that lead a revolution in dress in
that lead a revolution in dress in thought in the way that we weave one
thought in the way that we weave one
thought in the way that we weave one another these are the individuals that
another these are the individuals that
another these are the individuals that above all stay true to their identity I
above all stay true to their identity I
above all stay true to their identity I was really inspired by a third gender
was really inspired by a third gender
was really inspired by a third gender the way in which they choose to dress is
the way in which they choose to dress is
the way in which they choose to dress is by us by wearing women’s wear but we as
by us by wearing women’s wear but we as
by us by wearing women’s wear but we as a society refer to them as other and all
a society refer to them as other and all
a society refer to them as other and all the third inspired by this combining
the third inspired by this combining
the third inspired by this combining elements of menswear and womenswear
elements of menswear and womenswear
elements of menswear and womenswear using materials like wool suiting men’s
using materials like wool suiting men’s
using materials like wool suiting men’s shirting to create exaggerated shapes
shirting to create exaggerated shapes
shirting to create exaggerated shapes with beaded embroideries my thesis
with beaded embroideries my thesis
with beaded embroideries my thesis collection identity is an exploration if
collection identity is an exploration if
collection identity is an exploration if the role that clothing plays in forming
the role that clothing plays in forming
the role that clothing plays in forming an individual’s identity beyond the norm
an individual’s identity beyond the norm
an individual’s identity beyond the norm clothing is very interesting so
clothing is very interesting so
clothing is very interesting so there are differences between men’s and
there are differences between men’s and
there are differences between men’s and women’s were the reason for this their
women’s were the reason for this their
women’s were the reason for this their anatomical differences which are obvious
anatomical differences which are obvious
anatomical differences which are obvious and then there are also technical
and then there are also technical
and then there are also technical differences and the reason for these
differences and the reason for these
differences and the reason for these technical differences are age-old so say
technical differences are age-old so say
technical differences are age-old so say a men’s shirt has buttons on the left
a men’s shirt has buttons on the left
a men’s shirt has buttons on the left side and a woman’s shirt has buttons on
side and a woman’s shirt has buttons on
side and a woman’s shirt has buttons on the right side but this is because when
the right side but this is because when
the right side but this is because when back in the day men used to carry a gun
back in the day men used to carry a gun
back in the day men used to carry a gun on the left side so it was easy for them
on the left side so it was easy for them
on the left side so it was easy for them to access it and then women had Mane’s
to access it and then women had Mane’s
to access it and then women had Mane’s that would bind them that bun their
that would bind them that bun their
that would bind them that bun their shirts for them how I understand the
shirts for them how I understand the
shirts for them how I understand the utility reasons behind this however I
utility reasons behind this however I
utility reasons behind this however I don’t think that the I always questioned
don’t think that the I always questioned
don’t think that the I always questioned this the relevance of this in fashion
this the relevance of this in fashion
this the relevance of this in fashion today when I was a child my mother loved
today when I was a child my mother loved
today when I was a child my mother loved dressing my brothers and I in the same
dressing my brothers and I in the same
dressing my brothers and I in the same outfit and at the time I didn’t really
outfit and at the time I didn’t really
outfit and at the time I didn’t really think anything of it it was only when
think anything of it it was only when
think anything of it it was only when she made me wear it dresses and my
she made me wear it dresses and my
she made me wear it dresses and my brothers were still wearing what they
brothers were still wearing what they
brothers were still wearing what they always wore that I began began to
always wore that I began began to
always wore that I began began to question why was it that they didn’t
question why was it that they didn’t
question why was it that they didn’t wear the dresses and why was it that we
wear the dresses and why was it that we
wear the dresses and why was it that we had to wear different clothes at times
had to wear different clothes at times
had to wear different clothes at times and why couldn’t we share the same
and why couldn’t we share the same
and why couldn’t we share the same silhouettes and this was something that
silhouettes and this was something that
silhouettes and this was something that stuck with me through different parts of
stuck with me through different parts of
stuck with me through different parts of my life and so when I came to my thesis
my life and so when I came to my thesis
my life and so when I came to my thesis collection the way that I went about
collection the way that I went about
collection the way that I went about designing it was creating traditional
designing it was creating traditional
designing it was creating traditional pieces of clothing and then taking them
pieces of clothing and then taking them
pieces of clothing and then taking them apart to re-examine the components that
apart to re-examine the components that
apart to re-examine the components that actually make it what it is and putting
actually make it what it is and putting
actually make it what it is and putting the pieces of the puzzle back together
the pieces of the puzzle back together
the pieces of the puzzle back together again so shirt becomes a blouse and a
again so shirt becomes a blouse and a
again so shirt becomes a blouse and a dhothi becomes a skirt and a Patiala
dhothi becomes a skirt and a Patiala
dhothi becomes a skirt and a Patiala pyjama becomes a talk what’s interesting
pyjama becomes a talk what’s interesting
pyjama becomes a talk what’s interesting about menswear and womenswear is that
about menswear and womenswear is that
about menswear and womenswear is that they have always had this constant
they have always had this constant
they have always had this constant dialogue and they always take from one
dialogue and they always take from one
dialogue and they always take from one another in terms of little details or
another in terms of little details or
another in terms of little details or shape but the rise of gender fluid
shape but the rise of gender fluid
shape but the rise of gender fluid fashion is changing this conversation I
fashion is changing this conversation I
fashion is changing this conversation I worked with an embroidery unit and they
worked with an embroidery unit and they
worked with an embroidery unit and they helped to embroider pattern
helped to embroider pattern
helped to embroider pattern and construct the garments and important
and construct the garments and important
and construct the garments and important this they wore their garments and stood
this they wore their garments and stood
this they wore their garments and stood tall for them they didn’t see it as
tall for them they didn’t see it as
tall for them they didn’t see it as clothing that was gender specific they
clothing that was gender specific they
clothing that was gender specific they saw it as clothing open to the
saw it as clothing open to the
saw it as clothing open to the interpretation of the wearer and while
interpretation of the wearer and while
interpretation of the wearer and while we were shooting the collection we went
we were shooting the collection we went
we were shooting the collection we went onto the streets of Kolkata and that’s
onto the streets of Kolkata and that’s
onto the streets of Kolkata and that’s where we were approached by a few
where we were approached by a few
where we were approached by a few passerby they went up to the artisans
passerby they went up to the artisans
passerby they went up to the artisans and asked them about their experience
and asked them about their experience
and asked them about their experience and said that we the people that were
and said that we the people that were
and said that we the people that were taking the imagery we’re taking
taking the imagery we’re taking
taking the imagery we’re taking advantage of them dressing them up as
advantage of them dressing them up as
advantage of them dressing them up as women and making fun of them but these
women and making fun of them but these
women and making fun of them but these artisans didn’t seemed fazed by it to
artisans didn’t seemed fazed by it to
artisans didn’t seemed fazed by it to them they were enjoying the moment they
them they were enjoying the moment they
them they were enjoying the moment they were embracing the person that they were
were embracing the person that they were
were embracing the person that they were in that clothing traditionally there
in that clothing traditionally there
in that clothing traditionally there have been two genders but tradition is
have been two genders but tradition is
have been two genders but tradition is holding us back the spaces in between
holding us back the spaces in between
holding us back the spaces in between are filled with individuals
are filled with individuals
are filled with individuals experimenting in experence
experimenting in experence
experimenting in experence breaking the boundaries imposed on them
breaking the boundaries imposed on them
breaking the boundaries imposed on them by the genders assigned at Birth by the
by the genders assigned at Birth by the
by the genders assigned at Birth by the people defining them as a designer I
people defining them as a designer I
people defining them as a designer I have committed myself to exploring the
have committed myself to exploring the
have committed myself to exploring the possibilities that lie in the gaps
possibilities that lie in the gaps
possibilities that lie in the gaps between having sat on the sidelines
between having sat on the sidelines
between having sat on the sidelines today they begin to be accepted the
today they begin to be accepted the
today they begin to be accepted the third we say individuals visually
third we say individuals visually
third we say individuals visually expressing their experience of life on
expressing their experience of life on
expressing their experience of life on their own terms fashion has been a
their own terms fashion has been a
their own terms fashion has been a vehicle for them to experiment and
vehicle for them to experiment and
vehicle for them to experiment and explore the spectrum of gender into a
explore the spectrum of gender into a
explore the spectrum of gender into a life that is their reality into an
life that is their reality into an
life that is their reality into an identity that is theirs fashion is not
identity that is theirs fashion is not
identity that is theirs fashion is not just theirs it’s yours the spectrum is
just theirs it’s yours the spectrum is
just theirs it’s yours the spectrum is waiting
waiting
waiting [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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