Apparel March 2020 Apparel March 2020 issue | Page 73

The next time I saw Wendell’s
work was his first show for
the Glitterati Fashion House in
March 1990, called ‘Premier
Collection’. This is when his
style sensibilities completely
changed to the minimalistic
look. This prompted people to
call him the 'Issey Miyake of
India.’ He too admitted that the
collection was Miyake-inspired
with white organza capes and
fluid trousers.
After that Wendell turned
into a prolific designer who
could dream up three to four
collections a year. Stores
rushed to stock his lines and
women loved the clothes since
they were aimed at ‘goddesses’
MAUREEN WADIA
- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GLADRAGS,
PRESIDENT GLADRAGS
When I first came to Lakmé Wendell was
a very popular figure. A very calm person
with an aura, I thought he will be one of
those rude people. But when I spoke
to him he turned out to be exactly the
opposite. He was very humble and had
tons of passion. I looked up to him for his
drapes. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t
meet often but I learnt a lot from him.
He will be missed. I wish him a happy
journey ahead.
ANUJ SHARMA
– INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER
as Wendell called them. In 1994, when I wrote my
book Fashion Kaleidoscope I knew Wendell to be
the only one worthy of designing an eye-catching
cover. He visited bookstores to understand what
caught a reader’s eye on a shelf full of assorted
books. This is how he came up with the idea of
the red Bindi. He went on to create an amazing
cover with three surreal figures.
Wendell Rodricks said, “I am Gandhian in
my designs. I don’t want the clothes to wear
you. You wear the clothes.” He also said
Indian garments never had a stitch, “That’s
why I hardly put zippers on my clothes.
I like to drape and fastenings are usually
knots and ties.” Minimalism is much more
difficult to do than wedding wear where one
diffic
simply piles on the embroidery. So while
simp
most Indian designers over-decorated their
creations with dazzle, Wendell’s simplicity
creat
and pristine cuts always shone through,
being devoid of any decoration. It’s little
wonder that he put resort wear on the
wond
Indian map. You were too young to die
India
Wendell but I’m sure you’ve already begun
Wen
working on changing heaven. Wendell
work
created the ‘Wendell Whites’ Premium
creat
Range for Bombay Dyeing.
Rang
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March 2020
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