Forevermark’s The Artemis Collection by Bibhu Mohapatra

 

As Bibhu Mohapatra returns to his homeland to showcase his foray into designing jewellery for Forevermark, he takes a look back at his journey from a village in Orissa to the fashion hotspot of New York, in an exclusive interview.

Perhaps the only thing that outshines Bibhu Mohapatra’s caliber as New York’s finest couturiers is his grounded sense of humility. He apologises profusely for arriving late at the Library Lounge in the Four Seasons, Mumbai – a family emergency had held him back. When you tell him that inclement things such as these happen, he apologises once again. His brow quivers every time he contemplates on the questions asked, his answers are carefully measured, but there is a childlike innocence emanating from his eyes that betrays his age.

Forevermark’s The Artemis Collection by Bibhu Mohapatra

 

At the Four Seasons, Mumbai, models sashay down the ramp wearing gowns from Mohapatra’s Fall-Winter collection. His haute couture is rounded off by the baubles that sparkle across the bodices of the nubile nymphets who glide down the runway – bracelets, danglers, ear-studs and necklaces – each engraved with celestial inscriptions of the moon, stars and heavenly constellations. Bollywood siren Athiya Shetty concludes the spectacle wearing an off-shoulder monotone gown fringed with trails of gold, and simple ear-drops accented by a chunky jewellery watch. The audience gives her a standing ovation. When Sachin Jain, President, Forevermark, India addresses the audience, he says that the collection was named after the Greek lunar goddess Artemis, whose name translates as ‘incorrigible’ or ‘invincible.’ The words somehow also seem descriptive of Mohapatra’s spirit.

“I don’t look at images of the women I dress up,” Mohapatra reveals, “I hear their stories, I read up on their lives.” He hasn’t just adorned more than a fair share of iconic stars and models – Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Adriana Lima and Priyanka Chopra, but has also draped women like Oprah Winfrey and First Lady Michelle Obama. “Dressing someone up isn’t about looking at someone, as much as looking within them.”

Michelle Obama wearing a Bibhu Mohapatra dress

 

What makes Mohapatra much loved is his story of resilience and determination. Born in the small Oriya town of Rourkela, his aptitude for needlework made itself apparent as early as the age of twelve, when he began toying with his mother’s sewing machine. Back in the day, fashion designing hadn’t been a formal career choice in India, let alone Rourkela. Mohapatra immediately knew he had to migrate and the choice was fairly simple; it had to be the Mecca of world fashion – the city of New York.

Following the advice of his father who, despite being supportive of his dreams wanted him to secure a credible’ degree first, Mohapatra moved to Utah to complete a Master’s Degree in Economics and made ends meet by working as a janitor on campus. Yet, with his eye on his goal, he was able to secure a scholarship to study fashion at the Fashion Institute of Technology. That was followed by stints at Roy Halston Frowick and J Mendel, before he set up a label of his own.

Bibhu Mohapatra – Spring-Summer 2016 collection

 

The secret to Mohapatra’s success lies in how he fuses New York high fashion with faint glimmers of ethnicity-not necessarily Indian.  He often uses traditional fabrics and touches to create very New York style frocks and gowns. For instance, in his Spring 2016 collection, he showed a jacket constructed from thin strips of leather and silk that was hand-woven in Laos. Surprisingly delicate, and fascinating to look at up close, the fabrication was certainly worth the fuss.

Claiming a perch in the fashion capitals highest rungs certainly haven’t come easy. When questioned whether he encountered any racism along the way, the frown is slight, “Discrimination doesn’t always happen in a foreign land,” he admits, sadly. “The gravest atrocities I endured were in my home country, in my younger days, when I was considered outrageous for desiring a non-traditional career- that it was unacceptable and unmanly. The greatest support came from my parents who gave me the strength to pursue my passion.”