Abraham and Thakore on being unemployed to completing 25 years in the fashion industry
David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore place a very high regard on the time spent at NID. Visits to the Calico museum in Ahmedabad were a regular feature.
It’s enviable, the sync sound system that David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore — the names behind the Indian label Abraham & Thakore — share, that at times we wonder if they practise this off stage. At fashion weeks and press events, Abraham usually fields all the questions and Thakore is seen and almost never heard, though he has walked the ramp for some fellow designers with supreme ease. “They make me talk — what can I do. But, yes I enjoy it,” confesses David, as we meet with the duo at the launch of their line of carpets for Obeetee’s ‘Proud to be Indian’ series. The collaboration has resulted in carpets that are akin to stand-alone artworks, and have been woven with elements of bandhej from Kutch, Pochampally ikat and block prints from Sanganer.
Last year, they presented a stellar show, #blockblackwhite, in October at the Spring-Summer 2018 edition of Amazon India Fashion Week to commemorate their 25 years in the fashion industry. “Honestly, we don’t know when these 25 years have zipped by. For us it’s always been one show, rather from one crisis to the other, correcting one ill-fitted dress to the next. So, while we would be discussing whether an outfit works or not, Kevin would walk in and say, ‘but this also needs to sell’, adding yet another dimension to the equation” says Abraham. “Trust me, it’s been 25 years of arguments. There is much discussion and debate,” adds Thakore.
Their label is known for its edgy outfits in black and white, and for popularising monotones as a colour concept (Amit Mehra)
The duo launched their label Abraham & Thakore (A&T) in 1992 at The Conran Shop in London. That’s when Kevin Nigli, a fresh graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the third partner at A&T — and director of sales — joined in. But the duo had a long shared history way before London. They had studied together at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (NID). It was the late ’70s. “I was unemployed and so was Rakesh. So why not be unemployed together? Also, I think at that time many of us from NID were pretty unemployable. We were trained as entrepreneurs and not employees and we all were free thinking and non-conformist,” says Abraham. “ On top of that we were taught to question everything. I don’t think that merits well on the employability scale,” says Thakore.
The duo places a very high regard on the time spent at NID. Visits to the Calico museum in Ahmedabad were a regular feature. “NID was instrumental in shaping a very contemporary design voice, but one that was very rooted in the Indian textile tradition. The resources that we have as a country, in terms of textiles and the sheer variety, left a deep impact on us,” says Abraham.
Resultantly, A&T is a label which takes rich Indian textile traditions and adapts them to a western design sensibility. Pant saris, caped western formals, or even the dhoti pants, their creations are minimalistic and are made with fabrics that are breathable and user-friendly. Their design sensibilities reflect what they see around them, which seamlessly find their way on to the ramp. Be it the red and white ikat weave power suit (AIFW Autumn/Winter 2017) — or a head scarf paired with a tunic and pants (AIFW Spring/Summer 2018).
“In a tropical country like ours, we need layers — given the difference in temperature outdoors and the highly air-conditioned work spaces,” says Abraham. When a senior journalist asked the duo about the headscarves and hijabs that they had showcased at the AIFW Spring/Summer 2018, Abraham’s acerbic reply was, “Why are we even mentioning it? Many of our friends, and people around us, wear scarves. We should not even be talking about it.”
Blending a rich Indian weave like ikat — a go to favourite for the duo — to a minimalistic western silhouette is something that comes very easily for them. They both have lived and worked abroad. “That’s who we are. We speak and think in English, unfortunately. We essentially started our business in the West because of all that; we understood the design language that the world spoke,” says Abraham. “And that hasn’t changed. That’s the reason why we didn’t showcase in India for the longest time. I don’t think our designs were understood. Our language hasn’t changed but I think we understand better what works in India,” says Thakore.
A&T first showcased their collection on a fashion week ramp in India as recently as 2010. The label is known for its edgy outfits in black and white, and for popularising monotones as a colour concept. The duo admits that they are still learning and evolving each day. But they are very hopeful about the future of Indian design. “I know it’s fashionable to sniff at Indian fashion, but I think we are at an interesting junction. The young lot, like Ragini Ahuja, are doing such great work. I am very positive about the future of Indian design and fashion,” says Abraham. “And, they are all doing handloom,” states Thakore.
The coming year is already packed for the duo. Abraham is the keynote speaker at NIFT’s forthcoming international conference ‘Rediscovering Culture: Transforming Fashion’, while Thakore has co-curated a textile exhibition titled ‘A Search in Five Directions’ in collaboration with the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum and the Devi Art Foundation. There are plans to expand the retail presence of their label in Mumbai and other cities as well.
It’s enviable, the sync sound system that David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore — the names behind the Indian label Abraham & Thakore — share, that at times we wonder if they practise this off stage. At fashion weeks and press events, Abraham usually fields all the questions and Thakore is seen and almost never heard, though he has walked the ramp for some fellow designers with supreme ease. “They make me talk — what can I do. But, yes I enjoy it,” confesses David, as we meet with the duo at the launch of their line of carpets for Obeetee’s ‘Proud to be Indian’ series. The collaboration has resulted in carpets that are akin to stand-alone artworks, and have been woven with elements of bandhej from Kutch, Pochampally ikat and block prints from Sanganer.
Last year, they presented a stellar show, #blockblackwhite, in October at the Spring-Summer 2018 edition of Amazon India Fashion Week to commemorate their 25 years in the fashion industry. “Honestly, we don’t know when these 25 years have zipped by. For us it’s always been one show, rather from one crisis to the other, correcting one ill-fitted dress to the next. So, while we would be discussing whether an outfit works or not, Kevin would walk in and say, ‘but this also needs to sell’, adding yet another dimension to the equation” says Abraham. “Trust me, it’s been 25 years of arguments. There is much discussion and debate,” adds Thakore.
Their label is known for its edgy outfits in black and white, and for popularising monotones as a colour concept (Amit Mehra)The duo launched their label Abraham & Thakore (A&T) in 1992 at The Conran Shop in London. That’s when Kevin Nigli, a fresh graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the third partner at A&T — and director of sales — joined in. But the duo had a long shared history way before London. They had studied together at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (NID). It was the late ’70s. “I was unemployed and so was Rakesh. So why not be unemployed together? Also, I think at that time many of us from NID were pretty unemployable. We were trained as entrepreneurs and not employees and we all were free thinking and non-conformist,” says Abraham. “ On top of that we were taught to question everything. I don’t think that merits well on the employability scale,” says Thakore.
The duo places a very high regard on the time spent at NID. Visits to the Calico museum in Ahmedabad were a regular feature. “NID was instrumental in shaping a very contemporary design voice, but one that was very rooted in the Indian textile tradition. The resources that we have as a country, in terms of textiles and the sheer variety, left a deep impact on us,” says Abraham.
Resultantly, A&T is a label which takes rich Indian textile traditions and adapts them to a western design sensibility. Pant saris, caped western formals, or even the dhoti pants, their creations are minimalistic and are made with fabrics that are breathable and user-friendly. Their design sensibilities reflect what they see around them, which seamlessly find their way on to the ramp. Be it the red and white ikat weave power suit (AIFW Autumn/Winter 2017) — or a head scarf paired with a tunic and pants (AIFW Spring/Summer 2018).
“In a tropical country like ours, we need layers — given the difference in temperature outdoors and the highly air-conditioned work spaces,” says Abraham. When a senior journalist asked the duo about the headscarves and hijabs that they had showcased at the AIFW Spring/Summer 2018, Abraham’s acerbic reply was, “Why are we even mentioning it? Many of our friends, and people around us, wear scarves. We should not even be talking about it.”
Blending a rich Indian weave like ikat — a go to favourite for the duo — to a minimalistic western silhouette is something that comes very easily for them. They both have lived and worked abroad. “That’s who we are. We speak and think in English, unfortunately. We essentially started our business in the West because of all that; we understood the design language that the world spoke,” says Abraham. “And that hasn’t changed. That’s the reason why we didn’t showcase in India for the longest time. I don’t think our designs were understood. Our language hasn’t changed but I think we understand better what works in India,” says Thakore.
A&T first showcased their collection on a fashion week ramp in India as recently as 2010. The label is known for its edgy outfits in black and white, and for popularising monotones as a colour concept. The duo admits that they are still learning and evolving each day. But they are very hopeful about the future of Indian design. “I know it’s fashionable to sniff at Indian fashion, but I think we are at an interesting junction. The young lot, like Ragini Ahuja, are doing such great work. I am very positive about the future of Indian design and fashion,” says Abraham. “And, they are all doing handloom,” states Thakore.
The coming year is already packed for the duo. Abraham is the keynote speaker at NIFT’s forthcoming international conference ‘Rediscovering Culture: Transforming Fashion’, while Thakore has co-curated a textile exhibition titled ‘A Search in Five Directions’ in collaboration with the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum and the Devi Art Foundation. There are plans to expand the retail presence of their label in Mumbai and other cities as well.
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