The founder and designer of homegrown brand TheRealB, Binal Patel, presented one of her most striking collections at Paris Fashion Week recently. The brand promotes feeling sexy and confident in one’s own skin, by working with shiny embellishments, dramatic ruffles, cozy furs and alluring stripes, amongst other elements. We’re in conversation with the designer about her journey towards fashion, her recent collection called Garden Party and more.
Tell us a little about yourself and what led you towards fashion?
I come from a textile and fashion background, belonging to quite a renowned name in the industry. Besides, I was always passionate about fashion. So, it was when I was studying for Hospitality Management that I decided to test the waters and dabble in the world of luxury fashion. Then, I pursued a course in Fashion Designing from the esteemed Istituto Marangoni in Milan to expand my horizon. And soon I realized that it is now time to turn the childhood dream into a reality, giving birth to TheRealB.
Take us through your Paris Fashion Week experience.
It’s pure happiness! Because when you have an idea that is going to put you and the country you represent on the global map, and all your efforts and energy for that one crazy idea leads to success, you are just bound to be happy from head to toe! No other feelings exist at this moment! I am so proud that I was able to do it all in the right way because the response we got was all worth it!
What is it that your practice stands for?
My practice reflects the core idea that fashion is a living, breathing thing, that tells an enduring love story. I truly believe that our products are only as beautiful as the women who use them. These women are the actual fabric of TheRealB, the real essence of the brand. At the heart of my work is the sincere desire to imbue wearers with artfulness and audacity.
What was the starting point for Garden Party?
I wanted to create a collection that is playful, easy and full of colours. Something that women can wear with utter confidence for the hot season that will hit us soon. And nature has always been an inspiration for me, so that led me to the idea of creating designs that are full of blooming flowers and summery shades. So, the collection Garden Party was born!
Take us through your creative process.
It all starts with the idea of offbeat designs, keeping in mind the kind of styles that are high on fashion yet functional, along with the kind of designs the audience wants to see. The next stage is sketching out the designs on paper to create a base for the rest of the process. Then comes the crucial part of choosing the materials and fabric. Because we believe in creating sustainable fashion, we always look for recyclable materials and fabric that we could use while keeping the style element intact.
After the required materials are chosen and sourced, the in-house tailors start handcrafting the silhouettes, making sure not even the smallest details are missed. Packaging and labeling are done with utmost care in TheRealB signature style. To assure impeccable quality, all the pieces go through multiple layers of quality check. We excel at tailoring perfection. Hence every outfit we create for you goes through the entire process, all done in-house.
Finally, what should the fashion of now look like?
The fashion of now is like catching up with the old times. I mean, after a lot of time spent indoors, the rest of the world is getting on track. And people too are picking up their old lifestyle habits like dressing up for dates, going for casual evening drinks or even late-night parties. So, I think styles will be more about making trends and statements like we did before.
Text Unnati Saini
Date 03-03-2022
