He’s gone from being an export businessman to one of styles most-sought after names. Prior to Rakesh Thakore becoming, you know, Rakesh Thakore, he was hectically providing beautifully-woven handloom textiles across the globe. Partners David and he just brought their famous Abraham & Thakore to the Indian market in 2002, going in to retail in Delhi, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore.
However the very first collection didn’t make its ramp debut till 2010. That was a “deliberate choice”, says Rakesh Thakore, as we settle in for an afternoon chat at his four-storied Noida factory.
The factory is ringing with weavers and craftsmen, giving life to A&T’s stunning productions, constructed from Khadi, and imbued with an air of uncomplicated glamour and a hint of playfulness. He said, “If you have any presence here then immediately you address a larger audience and the choice to display on the ramp was necessary for us,” while offering his inputs on patterns and weaves. But a ramp debut didn’t alter much for Thakore, except his social calendar. His Saree’s brought him all around the world, including a trip to Australia to attend events in the yarra valley winery region.
“They even used to obtain our names wrong. I would always be called Raghavendra Rathore. It was humiliating to fix individuals,” he states, with a roll of his eyes and a don’t- take-it-seriously laugh.
Masterfully handling the social calendar and his thriving label, Thakore is a busy man. In an industry fed on egos and insecurities, he holds his ground. That explains his high status in the field of handloom, which has unexpectedly spun a success yarn. “Nowadays every designer in the book wishes to be in the handloom scene since its trendy.”
Rubbishing any opportunity of someone ending up being the “maker of handloom”, he states “handloom has actually constantly been around, through the years and generations. Our moms, grannies wore it and were happy doing so.”
But then aping the West ended up being trendy, and subsequently, handloom got sidelined. “It was no longer thought about stylish and no young girl wished to be seen and called an aunty in a handloom saree,” he states. However Thakore couldn’t be better to be a part of the handloom resurrection.
“It is motivating to see a great deal of girls now who style themselves in handloom saree’s. It has ended up being really trendy again, and return after a full cycle.” That likewise explains many of his fellow designers following with this trend. “Easy availability and accessibility has endured handloom to lots of,” he states.
For Abraham & Thakore, the handloom yarn runs strong. Not simply the brand name, but the two men behind it, too, started their individual professions dealing with weavers, long prior to A&T entered being. While Thakore’s diploma job had to do with Ikat, David Abraham did his on Khadi. “It’s been a long association”, he says, and it is these years of experience that display in the charming detailing of every piece from A&T’s collections.
It is this passion and commitment towards the craft that makes the designer duo create a compellingly ethereal image for the brand name. While Abraham looks after ‘fashion element’ of business, Thakore invests his time guaranteeing each weave, and pattern is perfect. “Dealing with the weavers, with fascinating materials, structures and techniques is what my part of business is,” he states about the ‘remarkable’ process with zeal in his voice.
So exactly what does the future hold?
Thakore states that there is a great deal of new jobs that they are working on, including the institution space. Even as he manages different roles, with the task comes some occupational risks: occasions, celebrations and launches. “My family states that they see me more in the media than in their home, which I feel is a dreadful insult.”
Though he includes, “I hardly go out except for Saturday nights with buddies or a Sunday breakfast in a beautiful breakfast restaurant. All the weekday parties are demanding”.