The British-Indian designer known for queering masculinity and cross-pollinating cultures dives into his archive for a joyous new East London show
The spring sun might be having a hard time breaking through London’s moody grey skies, but right now, the kaleidoscope of colour on display inside Walthamstow’s William Morris Gallery is enough to deliver a shot of joy to even the most SAD-afflicted visitor. The Georgian villa is currently home to a new exhibition which delves into Ashish Gupta’s expansive archive, with the designer’s euphoric work finding fans in Rihanna, Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Hunter Schafer, and more across the course of his two decades on the British fashion scene.
Fall In Love And Be More Tender came from the simple idea that “love and tenderness are the two most underrated things in the world, and we need more of them,” Gupta explains. It’s a premise that is consistently encapsulated in the collections coming out of his East London studio, and once directly plastered over the chest of a powderpuff pink t-shirt. Items on show as part of the exhibition include a variety of typically hyper-masculine coded garments – like hi-vis vests, lumberjack jackets, and rugby tops – ’queered’ through the addition of glittering sequins. “I want to make the viewer question the associations we have with [specific items of] clothing,” he adds. “For example, when covered in gold and silver sequins, a rugby shirt becomes the campest, most glamorous thing ever.”
With Gupta also long attempting to shift fashion away from its typically white, Western gaze, decolonisation is another key theme within Fall In Love… and a swathe of the garments that make the final cut clash Western and Indian aesthetics. Between the sparkling rugby shirts and day-glo vests stands a traditional embroidered zardozi skirt and veil (called a ‘lehenga’ in India), layered over a t-shirt which reads ‘IMMIGRANT’ from Ashish’s SS17 collection, as well as a sari reimagined in robust indigo denim. Elsewhere, an ombré tinsel jumpsuit refracts the space’s spotlights, demonstrating the tactile appeal of his clothing – a timely reminder of the power of touching and actually feeling the clothes we wear when so much emphasis is placed on how garments translate to tiny blocks on social media.
Beyond the powerful messages his clothing imbues, however, is a strong, simple urge to inspire happiness in the people who choose to dress themselves in his pieces. “[Everything I do is] about the idea of pleasure, glamour and joy,” says Gupta. “When people wear my clothes they feel really happy. It’s a mood elevator, and I think it’s really cool to be able to do that with clothing.”
“I want to make the viewer question the associations we have with [specific items of] clothing. For example, when covered in gold and silver sequins, a rugby shirt becomes the campest, most glamorous thing ever” – Ashish Gupta
Decolonisation of fashion is a prominent theme in this exhibition. Can you tell us what exactly this term encompasses?
Ashish Gupta: It essentially means looking at things and doing things that are removed from a white or Western gaze. For example, most fashion photography we think of is Western fashion photography – [if you] examine the way Indians stand or their postures, they’re very different to someone you see walking down the street in London. It’s looking at things like that – along with fashion, clothing, photography – and creating a new language that challenges the way we are conditioned to perceive things. We are so used to filtering things through a European perspective, there’s a need to create a new language altogether.
Do you ever feel the pressure to represent your South-Asian culture adequately through your designs?
Ashish Gupta: These are geographical boundaries, and as an artist you need to have the imagination to let that go. You can’t box-check – sometimes it’s too much to be bogged down by identity. My vision is based on my experiences, values, conditioning, and interests. When I’m designing, I don’t think about whether this will appeal to X, Y, or Z, or should I add a bit more ‘Indian-ness’ to it. I can’t worry about whether other people will like it. I have to like it, that’s my biggest priority.
Some of the most standout pieces from your archives are the ones that have made political or social statements, like your ‘IMMIGRANT’ and ‘More Glitter Less Twitter’ t--shirts. Can you talk to us a bit more about these slogans and why you feel compelled to spell things out in your work?
Ashish Gupta: I have a platform and it’s important for me to use that platform to speak about things that I find pressing. As an immigrant myself, I find the conversations about immigration in this country quite shocking. There’s an ongoing vilification of immigrants, even refugees, which is a convenient distraction from the real problems, and I feel like it’s natural for me to react to it through my work.
But I’m also cognisant of the fact that there’s so many shades of grey when you move to another country. In my case, if I had never moved to London I would never have the career that I have so I’m very grateful. It’s complicated.
Usually the star of a fashion exhibition is its clothes, but I noticed there is an acute attention to detail when it comes to the various accessories; bindis, bangles, and payals (anklets) carefully adorn each look. Why is that?
Ashish Gupta: While standing in the immigration queues at Heathrow airport, I’d always see newly married couples on their honeymoon. The women would be dressed in a salwar kameez peeking out from underneath a colourful sweater while their arms were stacked in decadent wedding chooda (a set of red and white bangles worn by Indian brides for a certain period after the wedding), and trainers were worn for comfort. It was a mish-mash that was beautiful to witness; I have so many memories of standing in those queues and being fascinated by these little details that came consciously to me when curating this exhibition.
Another instance, I was in India, sitting at a red light in a traffic crossing and there was a woman next to me driving her car. She was wearing a saree but her hair was done up in a massive bun and she had a big velvet bow with a pearl in the middle. She was wearing designer sunglasses but very traditional earrings – there was this real clash of Western and Indian influences, a honed aesthetic, that is hard to mimic.
“You can’t box-check – sometimes it’s too much to be bogged down by identity. My vision is based on my experiences, values, conditioning, and interests. When I’m designing, I don’t think about whether this will appeal to X, Y, or Z, or should I add a bit more ‘Indian-ness’ to it” – Ashish Gupta
There’s plenty of traditional craft techniques and textiles on display – Fair Isle knitwear, ikat, crochet, tie dye, and Dutch wax fabric – that draws from a diverse range of sources. What is it like working with one form and moving to another?
Ashish Gupta: It’s all interconnected in some way to be fair. For example, the Fair Isle originated in Scotland but it became popular in India when the Christian missionaries came over, according to my research. Then it got trendy with the maharajas (royals) and eventually filtered down. Ikat is all over Asia and there are so many different versions of it in Afghanistan, India, Indonesia etc. The dyeing technique has evolved in each country in its own way and there’s beauty in this cross-pollination of cultures. If you think about it, this movement of textiles and techniques is parallel to immigration – things being displaced, embraced, evolving and then going somewhere else.
Your approach to design on the outside may seem maximalist but what goes on inside the seams? How do you ensure a sequined or tinsel garment feels snug?
Ashish Gupta: You’d imagine that sequins would be uncomfortable or itchy but they actually feel great on the body. Plus, I always try to include zips and pockets in everything. I don’t like to put lining in my dresses; all that threadwork running inside actually softens the fabric and also I think it’s nice for the wearer to be able to actually look at how the garment was made.
During my time at Central Saint Martins, someone said ‘An evening gown should feel like a t-shirt and a t-shirt should feel like an evening gown’. In other words, a t-shirt should feel as special as an evening gown and the latter should feel as comfortable as the former. These words have always stayed with me.
What do you hope people take away from the show?
Ashish Gupta: Everything I do is about the idea of pleasure, glamour and joy. When people wear my clothes they feel really happy. It’s a mood elevator, and I think it’s really cool to be able to do that with clothing.
The ‘Fall In Love and Be More Tender’ exhibition will run at William Morris gallery from 1 April – 10 September 2023.
