India-NZ: The WOW Effect

Jack Marshall catches up with WOW designer Jayati Saraf, on a mission to build connections between India and New Zealand in the fashion world.  

The threads that bind New Zealand and India are more than just cricket and commerce these days – it also involves high fashion.

This year’s World of Wearable Arts (WOW) made headlines in India when designer Jayati Saraf took out two major awards.

“Indian entrepreneur creating fashionable waves globally” read an Asia News International headline, introducing WOW to millions, and highlighting New Zealand simultaneously.

Born and bred in Delhi, Saraf’s garment called "Neoru" not only took out the international award for Asian designs but then was named the overall winner for all international designs.

 Jayati Saraf's "Neoru" creation at WOW / photo supplied

 

"It was an amazing experience. Especially the fact I had come for the competition, meeting so many finalists from around the world,” said Saraf, who flew over from India and stayed in Wellington for a week. “The WOW team was so warm and welcoming. More than the city it was the people which really reminds me of the trip. That was the main attraction.”

Her designs took inspiration from the honeycomb lattice and paper structures commonly found at Diwali festivals.

Saraf laser-cut a fabric made from iridescent foil to create her award-winning design. Competing in the Elizabethan section, the judges said Neoru was bold and beautiful. “We loved the concept of the exaggerated Elizabethan ruff collar and where the designer had taken that creatively. An iridescent delight that blooms into a larger-than-life 3D Elizabethan ruff,” wrote the judges.

Saraf submitted two other designs, with the outfit Mocarabe ( meaning honeycomb work) also reaching the finals. There are plenty of fashion shows in India but Saraf says there is nothing like WOW. "We have a lot of fashion-related platforms, nothing in the wearable art segment." 

Designer Jayati Saraf/ photo LinkedIn

Indians today wear a wide array of modern and traditional clothing, reflecting the country’s diverse populations. "India is a huge country, we have so many different cultures, it's not just one. There are so many beliefs and religions that people follow, that every region has its own way of dressing up, its own way of liberalization. "There are metropolitan cities where people are wearing all kinds of clothes. People are wearing saris, western clothing, Indian clothing, like salwar suits, and so it's a mix.

Then there are villages where people wear their authentic cultural outfits like ghagra, which is like a long skirt.”

For special occasions and festivals most still wear traditional clothing. "There's a lot of diversity. I live in India and I was born here, but I don't think I can say I know all the cultural aspects of it because it's so much, it's huge. It's beautiful and it's huge. There are so many things to learn.”

In India, there is a strong academic focus on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) but Saraf said it is not the only option. “There are a lot of people entering fashion, videography, and styling.

The industry in general s picking up much more compared to earlier times." But her family is involved in finance and real estate so initially, she chose to travel to the United Kingdom and follow in her family’s footsteps. "After graduating from school business management felt like a go-to option," said Saraf. "I wasn't sure what field I wanted to get into, I wasn't sure about fashion, I wasn't even thinking about it at the time."

But she lost interest in business management and decided to take a "leap of faith" into fashion studying at where she found her passion.

She heard about WOW when she was at New Delhi’s Peral Academy and decided to enter.

WOW creators Dame Suzie Moncrieff and Heather Palmer have travelled to design schools around the world, presenting WOW to students and encouraging them to enter. Two of Saraf’s mentors at university, Assistant Professor Ashish Dhaka and Professor Sonika Khar, were finalists at WOW in the past and were “so happy about the win".

New Delhi's Pearl Academy Fashion & Design College/ photo Pearl Academy

As well as visiting design schools and promoting the competition on social media, WOW has put on travelling exhibitions to show off their wares, with a large-scale travelling exhibition showcasing 32 award-winning garments.

That exhibition ended up in front of eyes in Australia, the United States and Russia. “International entrants inject a variety of cultural perspectives into WOW turning many creative eyes towards New Zealand,” said a WOW spokesperson. “WOW provides not just promotion of their work, networking opportunities with National designers, prize money and internships, but also a way to launch their careers.” 

And Saraf has done just that.

Since graduating from university last year she created her own fashion brand called MeLova.

Although Saraf is busy with her own business in fashion, she said she "would love to" enter again when she has time and hopes to win more awards, and return to New Zealand.

- Asia Media Centre