Saim India's debut collection Mulaqaat tells the tale of a traditional love with modern sensibilities. Featuring the characters of Bobby and Bulbul, Mulaqaat seamlessly blending traditional elements like the 'ganji,' 'ghoonghat,' and 'topi' with contemporary style of layers, hoodies, and caps. Saim India creates a unique ecosystem of style that proudly embraces its cultural heritage. We talk to the brand’s founder, Syed Saim Ghani, on the brand’s inception, the storytelling of the brand and what it entails.
Origin of Culture Meeting Modernity
Coming from the culturally rooted city of Calcutta to the modern capital of Maharashtra, his idea also encapsulated the aesthetic combination of the cities that play a role in his life. “I was working at Anamika for seven years and I realised that I needed to do something bigger in life and put all my creative energy somewhere else. I think Calcutta is very culturally rooted and Bombay is way more modern. I want to show India in a different light. We see couture in terms of reality but I want to blend couture with our street culture.”
Bobby and Bulbul
The characters of Boddy and Bulbul take birth from a nostalgic past. They tell us the inner story of people who got married before 2000s. When asked about this unque storytelling strategy of the brand, Saim tells us "Art is my first love. I have also done a lot of digital art in the past. I've done my share of animation and I think fashion is art. So when I see my collection coming out, I actually picturized it like an entire world. It's like you're coming into my world. So I want characters in my world, I want particular people to have a particular background in my world. I think beauty is not just the gender beauty standards—you do not need a fair or a tall model. The idea of just responsible fashion makes more sense to me. So that's how Bulbul and Bobby just came to my mind because I wanted to show two characters and the entire journey and story through my clothes."
Cultural Aesthetics
For Saim, culture is a freeing thing: ‘I don't think culture is very restrictive. When we forget an Indian costume and we forget Indian history with it. I want to normalize culture and just make it cool. I breathe in culture. Since we are born in India, culture plays an important part in our lives. And I think it's just very personal image for me. It's my own journey with the country. I love Indian history. I don't want someone to buy an outfit and just wear it. Saim is not a regular couture brand because it meets somewhere in between. It's like that bridge between couture and street. I want to show what I am and that is an extension of me."
Relationship with Fashion
Fashion and clothes comprises of a huge part in Saim’s life. “I mean I eat and drink clothes. That's the only thing I know in my life but I also don't restrict my thinking to just clothes.” Saim obsession with fashion merges with his fascination of the history and culture of India.
Ideation
It was something that was always in my mind. Once I started sketching, I realized that this is something I wanted. I want to have people wear topis instead of caps. I want to embrace a googhat in the form of a hoodie. I love all cultures. I love the Hindu culture as well even though I have a Muslim background.
Aspirations
"In my next collection, I want to show India through a wedding, not like a modern-day woman or man going through a wedding. I am trying to marry embroidery with modernity. I also want to make it bigger. I want to be an extension of anyone’s way of living so I want to get into the home decor industry too with Saim."
Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 16.02.2024