Arunika Mehta

“Pictures, abstract symbols, materials, and colors are among the ingredients with which a designer or an engineer works. To design is to discover relationships and to make arrangements and rearrangements among these ingredients.” –Paul Rand

Curiosity defines me, colors interest me, traditions inspire me, history intrigues me and emotions guide me. Curiosity about life and all its aspects is the source of creativity. Colors for me hold the very essence of design. According to me, color is what breathes life into design. It is a major element of design and provides temperature and structure to it. As Pierre Bonnard says, “Color does not add a pleasant quality to design, it reinforces it.” On the other hand, History and Traditions are where I seek inspiration. Design for me is converting the potential in our history and traditions to suit our lives today. The present is a reflection of our past and an insight into our future. The deeper we get into our history the more we discover our present. After all, creativity is putting forward in varied forms, what already exists in nature. Emotions drive me to work better and to deliver what is expected of me. Emotions are not only the source but also a product of design. They provide the mood and feel to a design. Further, I believe that a great design should also evoke emotions. Thus, for me, emotions and design are both the cause and the effect for each other. I do not believe in being a perfectionist. Rather, for me, real beauty lies in chaos and imperfection.

I am a Fashion Designer based in Rajasthan, India. A graduate from the National Institute Of Fashion Technology, am presently working on developing prints and craft based products in men’s wear, working towards the revival of traditional and dying crafts in a contemporary format.