Kaushik Velendra is in a hurry: He moved into his new atelier at 51 Hoxton Square a week ago and last night held his first show there. This very same address was, for a while from 1995, the spot from which his fellow Central Saint Martins alumnus Alexander McQueen produced his collections. Now Velendra, who is the first-ever Indian-born graduate of the school’s MA in fashion, is intent on creating a new chapter in this storied old building.
Entitled ‘Romeo & Romeo,’ his spring 2021 collection featured 18 looks shown to an audience of 20, for reasons of safety. During a preview chat beforehand Velendra shared a tour through the various iterations of the contoured shoulder-pads that are his trademark piece. Worn over minimally-seamed suiting and under ruched capelets of tulle-opaque black fabric or light-reactive silver, they make for a distinct and powerful silhouette that sits at some new intersection between body armor, activewear, and evening wear.
“Anybody can wear it, whatever their body shape, and it’s actually very wearable for women as well,” said Velendra, who added that his plans for the lower half of the building are: “to give our customers the chance to meet me, discuss their requirements, see their clothes being made, and to be a part of the whole experience. We can hold our own shows without being beholden to seasons, and when it’s not a runway the space can transform into a studio.” At weekends, the building is being made available to postgraduate students of Indian origin at Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art: “This is very important to me because when I first came to London no one gave me space to cut, or to do anything, and I don’t want anyone else to go through that.”
COVID-19 complications put pay to Velendra’s plans to ornament this collection, but as well holding a future show in India he says he plans to work with artisans from his home country to apply beading, sequins, and other finishes to future pieces. “I would like to build an Indian powerhouse,” he added. A powerhouse built on power shoulders? You wouldn’t bet against it.