8 International Designers Who Are Inspired By India

Text by Sadaf Shaikh

They talk about Indian textiles, creative opportunities, and love for this dynamic country

3. CHANTAL BLOMMERDE
Founder of kidswear label Chandamama in Mumbai

Blommerde grew up in a small Dutch town called Alkmaar. Her mother was a homemaker who sewed her own clothes. Chantal used to watch her mother create beautiful garments from mere pieces of cloth. When she was 18, she moved to France to study and subsequently got into the Foreign Service. She revealed that it was while working in New York for the United Nations that she decided to dive into fashion. She enrolled herself into Parsons School of Design and discovered a penchant for design.

1. On Indian elements that entice her “I wouldn’t trade all of the sweaty, crazy adventures I’ve had with my family here for anything. Like watching my children run around the ruins of a 14th-century mosque or seeing a group of kids play a game of hide-and-seek at Safdarjung’s Tomb…. These are some of my vivid memories.”

2. On choosing India of all places “I moved to India for love. I met my husband (who is an Indian) while working in New York; we dated and he moved to Singapore. I missed him terribly so I moved to Jakarta to be closer to him and we got married shortly before our first baby was born. When our child was 2 months old, I travelled to India and my maternal instinct coupled with the beautiful weaves of this country inspired me to launch a clothing brand for kids.”

3. On challenges “It’s a formidable task to design something that appeals to both, parents and children. For instance, a kid wants a fire-breathing dragon on his shirt but the mother thinks it’s too violent. How do you reconcile the two? There’s also the challenge of designing clothes which can withstand an intense session of tree-climbing and playing in the mud.”

4. 3 adjectives that describe her brand “Adventurous, chic and charming.”

5. On her inspiration “Besides a steady flow of insights from my own children and their friends, all my collections are inspired by fabrics, colours, food and monuments that I encountered on my numerous trips in India.”

6. On her favourite moment in India…. “I took the children to Pushkar on holiday. We are horse-riding enthusiasts, so I booked us into a pastoral hotel which allowed us to take their Marwari horses for a ride. It was one of my most memorable vacations because of the horse rides, delicious breakfasts and the easygoing vibe.”