By Sabrina Fatma Ahmad
Antar-Agni’s Bhoot is a striking limited collection of single silhouette, single fabric goodness
Non-conforming, maximalist yet minimalist, disruptive. These are three phrases Ujjawal Dubey uses to describe his aesthetic. This wunderkind of Indian menswear, who surprised himself by veering into fashion design when his original intention was to study architecture, has been turning the industry on its head with his sustainable, gender-fluid offerings. His unconventional offerings propelled his near meteoric rise, with a debut of his label Antar-Agni (which means ‘inner fire’) at the Lakme Fashion Week in 2014, the award for Best Upcoming Designer for Menswear at the Grazia Young Fashion Awards in 2015, a mention in the ’50 most influential young Indians’ by GQ India and Elle Graduate Award in 2016, and an entry in the 30 under 30 list by the Forbes India magazine in 2017. And that’s just the beginning.
In a world that wants more and fights more, what’s truly revolutionary is the way of simplicity. Last year, Antar-Agni branched into footwear, using leftover fabric from their clothing line to create sustainable shoes to match with the outfits. This year the brand turns back time and revisits the very roots of their existence, creating a collection that speaks to the core of who they are and their inclination toward street style and sports, ‘Bhoot’ is a collective representation of the same.
The idea of Bhoot comes from a reflection of ideas over the years where nuanced elements come together as a project of love in a thoughtfully limited palette of black and white.
“At Antar-Agni we have championed silhouettes and impactful elements that pay attention to comfort. With Bhoot we dial that up with the subtlety of signature monotones and efficient construction. We have added playful quilted accessories.” – Ujjawal Dubey
The idea of simplicity is spread across every piece of this collection. The fabric is one superior cotton for all pieces and the silhouette is chosen to flatter every gender and body type across the spectrum. 3-dimensional embroidery elements are used organically, in the abstract.
The collection is available exclusively at their store and website.
Photos: Antar-Agni
