Geisha Designs’ Maristella Collection Captures Mermaid Essence; A Chat With Shalini and Paras – News18

Geisha Designs, an India-based luxury lifestyle brand, has successfully bridged the gap between ancient traditions and the contemporary world. Shalini Jaikaria and Paras Bairoliya, the creative minds behind the label, share a design philosophy centered on style, impeccable craftsmanship, utility, and refinement. Founded in January 2001, Geisha Designs embodies beauty with a strong sense of ultra-feminine grace.

Shalini and Paras blend Western pattern-making techniques with traditional Indian silhouettes, resulting in unique styles that emphasize silhouettes and delicate embroidery, evoking an enchanting old-world charm. They creatively utilize traditional materials like beads, sequins, and thread, transforming them into captivating 3-dimensional textures and vibrant motifs. The brand places great importance on meticulous hand detailing and seam finishes to ensure the garment’s beauty from the inside out.

Geisha Designs caters to the modern, urban woman, offering designs that exude elegance, femininity, and romance. Their collections effortlessly capture the refined tastes of today’s women, whether it’s for special occasions or everyday wear. We discuss with Shalini and Paras about their new collection, Maristella.

Question 1: Tell us about the new collection, what was it inspired by?

Answer: Maristella captures the refreshing sea breeze and a perfect blend, celebrating the hidden treasures of the deep ocean. It adds a musical and poetic touch to the collection. It’s about this captivating journey beneath the waves, where fashion meets fantasy.

The collection features elegant flowing gowns and coordinated sets with jackets or skirts, along with adorned vests, blouses, and stylish fluted pants. These outfits are decorated with beautiful details like pearls, crystals, corals, and seashells that shine in the light, making you feel like you’re in a world of mermaids. The designs are inspired by fish scales, waves, and playful sea creatures like seahorses and fish. The designs also have unique cape and sleeves as well as voluminous and ruffled elements that remind you of the ocean’s beauty.

The fabrics used include luxurious satins, delicate laces, lightweight tulle, and sheer organza, adding a feeling of love, passion, and beauty. Maristella’s color palette reflects the colors of the Ocean, with shades of soft blue, neutral sandy tones, and gentle pastels.

Question 2: How different is this collection from your previous ones?

Answer: In Maristella, our inspiration flowed from the depths of the sea, propelling us to embrace a dynamic interplay of colors, surfaces, and techniques. The concept alone led to its execution and took us to marble mines of Kishangarh , Rajasthan to lend the right background to best showcase the collection.

Our previous collections each have a unique inspiration and hence the journey. Endless Love, Enchanted Forest , Luminescent , New Beginnings have been our other recent campaigns, each having a unique flavour and hence rendition.

However, they all have a combined ethos which reflects our core philosophy with a harmonious blend of fashion and fantasy.

Question 3: Are there any motifs or designs that are specific to this collection?

Answer 3: The collection’s name, derived from the Latin term “Maris,” meaning “of the sea,” and the Italian word “Stella,” meaning “star,” beautifully capturing the elements from the ocean, the textures of the sea take the centerstage.

The playfulness of fish scales, the fluidity of fish tails, and the intricate elegance of corals are meticulously woven into each gown. These ocean-inspired textures aren’t just adornments; they’re a tactile celebration of marine artistry, bridging haute couture with the wonders of the underwater realm.

Question 4: Do take us through the colour palette used in this edit and please specify colours as our readers love the details

Answer: Captivating existence of mermaids- the colour palette of Maristella combines shades of grey blue, sand-washed neutrals and pastels. From tranquil blues reflecting sea and sky to lively corals mirroring underwater life, each shade captures the sea’s essence. Sunlit golds and iridescent whites add warmth and elegance, invoking sandy shores and moonlit waves. This palette isn’t just aesthetics; it’s a homage to the sea’s splendor and a call to preserve its magic.

Question 5: What are the fabrics you have chosen for this collection?

Luxurious Satins, delicate laces, diaphanous Tulle & Organza add to essence of love, passion, and beauty.

Question 6: What are the silhouettes we can look forward to? Please list them:

Expect mermaid silhouettes, sheer sheaths, and coral and fish tail-inspired capes. As pant suits ride the trend wave, our cocktail gowns remain a pinnacle of timeless allure.

Question 7: Have you already started working on your next edit, if so, could you share a bit of information on it?

We’re currently working on a line of cocktail gowns and red carpet pieces with a working title ‘Profusion: Harmonic Tapestry of Nature’s Symphony’ for the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week in October.

This collection mirrors the earth’s rich tapestry, where hues and tones converge in a spectacular display of nature’s artistry. The color palette weaves together the raw energy of deep, earthy tones.

Profusion is a blend of boldness and finesse. Silhouettes reflect the unpredictable contours of the world around us, inviting the wearer to celebrate their individuality and embrace the beauty of imperfection.