People of Madras
Ep. 05
​Published on May 21, 2022
From a young age, Purushu shined in arts and crafts and represented his school in several competitions and events. It was but a natural choice for him to pursue a career along those lines. “I secured admission to the NIFT in Delhi” he proudly smiles. “My parents vehemently opposed and wanted me to study at NIFT, Chennai. I had to sit them and make them understand how I wanted to move out of the cocoon and spread my wings. If not, I would have lived in Taramani all my life and never seen anything beyond!”
Moving to Delhi was a revelation for Purushu. “The city was brand and trend-conscious whereas Chennai has a very simple, more utilitarian fashion sense. In fact, that was where I became better aware and conscious about gender norms in fashion, and I came to understand that the cities had entirely different perceptions towards these norms.”
He pointed out a generally prevalent model in the fashion industry, the trickle-down fashion. “A superbly non-democratic model, it believes in the power of socially dominant groups and uses their influence to dictate the fashion trend for that season or year.” Purushu and his brand ‘Purushu Arie’ made a conscious decision to move away from this model. “I am a strong believer in the trickle-up model. Fashion statements need to reflect the society that it is meant for and draw inspiration from people’s movements and protests.” He brings up the example of denim, which was originally used by coal miners in the USA and is now a wardrobe staple, the lungis (which has working-class origins), tattoos and body piercing (which have tribal origins), etc., in Indian clothing.
“The mainstream fashion industry in India continues to be heavily casteist and classist. It fails to provide equal representation and offer equal opportunities. My journey through Purushu Arie aspires to create a change in this regard. Every design I make is mindful of being practical. The purpose of clothing is to offer functional solutions that reflect the needs and aspirations of the masses” he signs off.
