Dhruv Kapoor and his nonchalant design ethos take over Milan Fashion Week
The fashion capital of Italy, aka Milan, has turned into a second home for Indian designers, and names like Dhruv Kapoor would be the authority on that subject. It feels like just another day to spot ‘Dhruv Kapoor’ on the charts of Milan Fashion Week but with a unique take on fashion every time. Despite a decade of adding fashion to our wardrobes we still can’t predict the keynotes of his collections, and nor can he. But one thing’s for sure, he is all about posing questions and breaking pre-defined notions through his silhouettes. Juxtaposing the ‘then and now’ of fashion is what lies at the core of Kapoor’s design ethos, and he brings this ethos to the ramps of Milan once again, with his latest collection the ‘Spring/Summer’25 Co-ed show’.
Dhruv Kapoor adds his flair to the ramps of Milan Fashion Week again
Talk about unpredictability, the designer had me at the gigantic red bunny figure waiting for the guests to get ready for Dhruv Kapoor’s version of Spring. “Spring’ 25 is formed of diverse memories, tracing a person’s journey from childhood to adulthood. The offering projects a combination of observations, innocence, desires and curiosity into innovative ensembles,” shares Dhruv. By now we see through Dhruv Kapoor’s fashionable vision and so does Milan- “I have lived here for three years- studying and working. By now, Milan is like a second home. I am familiar with places, spaces and the culture and I always look forward to coming back, season after season,” says Dhruv.
Speaking of this Milan Fashion Week regular, nothing you see in Dhruv Kapoor’s collections goes unnoticed, each and every detail speaks a language that knows no bounds and dictates how fashion goes beyond just trends. “My main aim was to transport our audience to a time when dressing was not about what was pre-defined for a specific gender, it was the feeling that an ensemble generated. An eclectic mix of borrowed dad shoes; oversized pieces belonging to a sibling; slouchy 90s fits; flared jeans for a nostalgic pop; summer jorts with a hint of vintage; and cotton sheets draped into tailored pieces. A projection of how we wish to look mature when we are young and younger as we grow up,” adds Kapoor.
“Today it is brimming with maximality, tomorrow it might appear dull and minimal” is how accurately Kapoor decodes his unpredictable vision for us. “I can never predict where the process would take us and we never forcefully push ourselves into a certain direction.” We might not know what his latest collections may showcase, but Dhruv Kapoor’s maximal motifs will always be a mainstay of the brand, and adding to the same he adds “The brand naturally evolved into this space but is not bound by it. I normally enjoy tapping into spaces I dislike and tweak them around until I fall in love with them. We continuously evolve and consistently project contrasting elements as a metaphor to unite polar worlds. Our design process has no ground rules and my team and I explore all directions and build something or revisit something under the Kapoor lens.”
Considering how India has a special place at International fashion weeks of late, from designers to celebrities, India is being praised and recognised on the global stage. “I feel Craftsmanship, hospitality and perseverance are the three things that put on the global map. Our country seamlessly sits with global standards and it is just the beginning. I am always excited to discover new talent coming from India and the waves they make in diverse parts of the world,” shared Dhruv.