FASHION
As Ashish Gupta’s first retrospective opens, the designer talks to Brooke Theis about sticking to his guns, subverting stereotypes and expressing himself through sequins
Kaleidoscopic trousers, shimmering sequin dresses and bold slogan T-shirts are Ashish Gupta’s love language, through which he communicates his vision for liberation. The designer, who founded his eponymous label over two decades ago, creates glamorous clothes that reflect both what he describes as ‘the sexiness and freedom of nightlife’ and his experiences as an immigrant; some of his most striking pieces feature phrases such as ‘Love sees no colour’.
Growing up in 1980s and 1990s Delhi, Gupta found himself drawn to his mother’s fashion magazines; once he finished school, he moved to London to study fashion design at Central Saint Martins. ‘This was the time when being gay was illegal in India, so I felt like I needed to go to a big, glitzy liberal city,’ he explains. After he established his brand in 2001, a friend wore one of his designs to the Mayfair boutique Browns Focus, whose buyer Yeda Yun put in an order. It wasn’t long before stars from Rihanna to Taylor Swift were seen wearing his playful pieces.
Ashish is a small, independent label, where the garments are still sewn by hand. Yet it has made its presence known in the industry, thrice winning the pr
