Designer Dhruv Bandil's Latest Collection Blends Our Ancient Past With Modernity

Many homegrown artists take inspiration from India’s rich, ancient history– and how could they not? Despite the struggles of our past, our cultural legacy lives on through the preservation of our traditions, stories, and heritage sites. In the modern day, many contemporary artists use these relics of our past, creating something new out of our well-kept cultural archives. 

And yet, sometimes, inspiration can strike in the absence of what once was. Fashion designer Dhruv Bandil’s latest collection, ‘Awakening Kakanmath Kalavatis’, pays homage to archaeological ruins in Madhya Pradesh, his home state. It is believed that the Kakanmath temple was built in the 11th century, but today, the sculptures and artwork that once made the space ornate have eroded. Bandil told The Perfect Magazine these figurines had an “incomplete identity that always resonated with [him],” as he found his creative vision in the unique fragmentation of our cultural records. 

Bandil’s other muse was Jamini Roy, a prolific painter whose distinctive style used flat, bold colours and simple forms, amalgamating Bengali and Western art traditions. ‘Awakening Kakanmath Kalavatis’ uses the most interesting aspects of Bandil’s inspirations. It reinterprets the silhouettes of ancient statuettes while playing with vibrant, graphic block colouring, creating a refreshing blend of past and present that's unlike anything we've seen before.—

Of course, the paintings and statues are not the sole guiding forces behind Bandil’s creative vision. In an interview with 1 Granary, Bandil said that observations of the women around him — the ways they draped their sarees and dotted under their bindis, for instance — also played a large role in shaping his design aesthetic. As a result, it’s clear that his artistic direction was born out of a deep, rich personal and cultural history. His imagination’s work is complex and atypical. Some pieces do take direct inspiration from other works of art; one bodysuit, for instance, recreates the iconic bangles from 'The Dancing Girl', an ancient statue from the Indus Valley Civilization. His overall vision, however, cannot be boiled down to any one specific thing.

Even the Indian influences on his work, while beautifully interpreted, are not what ultimately makes Bandil’s pieces special. As models walk down the runway in Bandil’s designs, their clothes almost look animated. Every piece pops. It’s equal parts high art and fashion; astonishing yet wearable. At this point, we’ve all seen clothes fusing Eastern and Western influences before, as well as fashion that brings elements of the past into the now. But in a cultural moment where it seems like everything has already been done before, Dhruv Bandil brings something new to the table. 

And we’re not the only ones to think so. Bandil was the 2024 recipient of the L’Oréal Professionnel Creative Award in London, a prestigious prize awarded to just three UK fashion students annually. All the signs point to the fact that he’s going to be the next big thing and we can't wait to see what he does next. 

You can follow Dhruv Bandil here. 

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