Style Cartel loves to find emerging brands and we have found another one for your fashion radar. We had the pleasure of meeting the team behind the label Alamelu when it launched in Paris last April. Alamelu aspires to become India’s pioneer luxury label for the design-oriented connoisseur. We spoke to Alamelu’s creative director, K. H. Radharaman, who aims to break away from preconceived notions of what is considered ‘Indian’ fashion and design.
I am obsessed with South Asia, its culture, textiles and the fashion from the region. So when we had the opportunity to attend the launch of the brand in Paris it was a yes for me to attend the Printemps Haussmann pop-up. Where we were able to get up close and personal with the creative director. He told us the story of the brand where they have come from and where Alamelu is going. The founder, CEO and creative head at The House of Angadi, speaks through innovation and architecture.
Alamelu Ready-to-Wear label from The House of Angadi
“Craft doesn’t need to be saved, it needs to be regenerated and contemporise,” says K Radharaman. He makes beautiful clothing, not because they need to be preserved. Vogue India
After two decades of pioneering Textile Design work in both the Indian and International markets, Radharaman — a self-taught textile engineer and designer — brings together his expertise in both traditional and modern textile techniques to offer contemporary garments for the multi-faceted, global woman of today. One of Radharaman’s most significant sources of inspiration is architecture. When he decided to create a new label encapsulating his passions. By creating the house of Alamelu a timeless ready-to-wear luxury brand.
Indian Luxury Alamelu
With Alamelu’s commitment to innovation and individuality, textiles are developed specifically for each collection. Spring Summer 2024 uses a distinct linen silk blended georgette that moves with the lightness and fluidity of silk but has the matte quality of linen; a beautiful handwoven sheer fabric is created by deliberately missing a few yarns in the weft and is inspired by ‘Kotah Doria’ or ‘Mysuria’ fabric that originated in India many hundreds of years ago. The colours are beautiful and encourage you to want to go to sexy diners with friends and long walks on the beach afterwards.
Similarly, the lightest of silk filaments have been blended with the finest cotton yarns to create a blend evocative of the fine muslin cotton that was once exported along the ancient textile trade routes from the east coast of India to Rome.
The Spring Summer 2024 collection exhibits elegant restraint and unhurried luxury that are an Alamelu signature. Traditional fabrics, made using hand-woven techniques, are reinterpreted in fresh colours and dynamic silhouettes. Fluid suiting comes in painterly ombré shades of yellow, blue and green; silk-satin cargo pants unexpectedly mix polish and pragmatism. Sinuous dresses with engineered necklines, transitional cocktail tops and plunging gowns in rich hues make a striking statement for evening and beyond.
The agility of the fabrics and the way each reflects light differently encapsulates the essence of Spring. The collection’s striking colour palette and dying techniques are a modern iteration of techniques practised in India for centuries.
For Spring Summer 2024, as ever, Radharaman’s muse was the strong, independent and confident modern woman with a mind and style of her own. I loved the story of the house and admired many of the pieces.
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