As actor Ananya Shanbhag shone on the 97th Oscars purple carpet in her ivory and gold corset and skirt ensemble, designer Poornima Indrajith couldn’t assist however smile. “She was so excited, she felt the dress turned out better than she had imagined. She would call from the Oscars venue at 3am IST to share the attention the dress was drawing,” laughs Poornima.
Ananya, a 21-year-old performing arts pupil, from Mumbai, performs Palak in Anuja, which was certainly one of the nominees for the finest reside motion brief movie class at the Oscars.
“While designing, I wanted something that would resonate with what Ananya believed in. With Ananya being a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, I wanted the silhouette to reflect her love for dance,” says Poornima.
Ananya Shanbhag
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Special Arrangement
When Ananya’s mom reached out to Poornima for the Oscar match, she began brainstorming with Ananya over video calls: “I wanted to know what ideas Ananya had in order to be able to guide her accordingly.”
The ensemble that emerged after a number of forwards and backwards had a little bit of every little thing — a way of motion, her youthfulness and it was an ode to her Indian roots as effectively. Done in a hand-woven textile developed by Poornima for her label Pranaah, the hand-crafted garment was a love letter to Ananya’s artwork and persona. “I had been working on creating this fabric for my bridal line for over a year. While it is made of 100 per cent woven yarn, it has the sheen of satin and does not crumple easily,” says Poornima.
She caught to a recent silhouette. “Pranaah as a brand has over the years built its own identity and while it is rooted in our Kerala handloom tradition, it is also very contemporary in treatment.” The corset subsequently was adorned with intricate gold thread embroidery and the skirt had a prepare for that “special princessy” really feel.
“Since Ananya was studying in Bengaluru, we had to take measurements over video calls. And it really felt like a leap of faith,” says Poornima. But when Ananya tried it out at the Pranaah retailer, it match completely.
Ananya Shanbhag
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Special Arrangement
The jewelry is an equally essential a part of the entire ensemble. Poornima collaborated with jewelry designer Kavya Potluri to create assertion items impressed by Bharatanatyam’s heritage. Even finger and nail equipment added to the impact.
Poornima Indrajith with Ananya Shanbhag
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Special Arrangement
Poornima is just not new to designing purple carpet seems. She designed Divya Prabha’s search for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (All We Imagine as Light) and for the Locarno International Film Festival (for Ariyippu); Nimisha Sajayan at the Venice International Film Festival in 2019, Geethu Mohandas and Shanty Balachandran at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019.
“As a designer, it is always a glorious moment for me to be able to showcase the Kerala handloom tradition on a global platform. It is also a moment to celebrate Kerala’s artisans, their craftsmanship, sustainability and our heritage,” says Poornima.
Published – March 10, 2025 03:28 pm IST
