Returning champion: Why designer Bibhu Mohapatra is back in India
For designer Bibhu Mohapatra, who’s dressed Michelle Obama and opera divas, India remains both the muse and the ultimate market
On a balmy October evening, a well-heeled, glittering crowd descends on the newly refurbished Pragati Maidan, in the heart of Delhi. They settle around a large amphitheatre. Before long, fountains spout up toward the sky as the stage lights up. Vasundhara Vee, known for her soulful- jazz and Sukanya Chattopadhyay, a singer of Hindustani classical, set the mood as models strut out wearing cocktail dresses, structured gowns, chic blazers, slinky skirts, and other embellished outfits. Bibhu Mohapatra is back. The OG ambassador for Indian design abroad showed on home turf after nearly a decade.
Mohapatra, 51, was born in Odisha but left for the US in 1996 to pursue a degree in Economics. While there, he signed up for a sewing job at the costume shop on campus to help with their in-house production of Cyrano de Bergerac. A professor ended up noticing his spark and skill and encouraged him to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). It changed not only Mohapatra’s journey, but that of Indian fashion too. His eponymous label has been worn by Michelle Obama, Kendall Jenner, and A-list actors such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya, Glenn Close, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone.
Alongside, he’s kept his love for the stage going. In 2021, the Washington National Opera picked Mohapatra to design costumes for its first production after the pandemic. Come Home: A Celebration of Return was a tribute to US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The stage, however is not a runway, not a red carpet. Artists move, jump, sweat and must change outfits quickly. And opera critics are often less forgiving than the paparazzi. “That is the challenge I enjoy the most!” the designer says. “It gives me an opportunity to acquaint myself with artisans from completely different fields.”
Mohapatra’s closing show at Lakmē Fashion Week in Delhi, in partnership with FDCI, last week was also titled Come Home. Of its 75 ensembles, some were drawn from his Spring / Summer ’24 collection, showcased at New York Fashion Week last month.Some pieces were from his first ever collection in 2009, others were created more recently, spanning a decade of design. There were a number of precision-cut layered pieces and artisanal-denim dresses sporting his signature intricate crystal-work embroidery. There was a pink beaded dress inspired by a painting created by his partner Bobby Beard, and a peach tulle gown embellished with gota-patti style leaves. An ikat-print here, a pallu-style sash there, and sequins laid out in cutdana style - it all showcased his chic, light, wearable but precisely tailored style in a market saturated with heavily embellished garments. It was also a proud reclamation of his roots and a nod to the increasingly attractive Indian market.
“It’s definitely an emotional moment for me,” Mohapatra says. “My heritage runs in my veins. It gives me the edge I have. My design sense is always evolving, but what is constant is my heritage, and my early creative influences growing up in India.”
It’s practically the opposite of what homegrown designers are doing. Indian couture is actively seeking international audiences. Designers name-drop the rap stars, Insta influencers and Hollywood starlets they’ve dressed. Mohapatra did it a decade ago. “It is indeed a reverse migration. I wanted to go back to my roots while carrying the branches that I have created away from home,” he says. “Watching India finally get its due on a global stage has been incredible. It’s a thing of immense pride for me. But it’s more than just a heartwarming story, it is part of our expansion strategy. It is not a secret that India is one of the most promising and fast-growing global markets, and I believe that there is a lot of potential for my brand in India.”
