FASHION designer Vaishali Ragunathan has unveiled her latest work during London Fashion Week.
It is her third collection to hit the runway, and has been well-received due to its sustainable twist.
Instead of creating 11 grand new garments, Ms Ragunathan re-worked and up-cycled ballgowns from her previous collections.
The aim was to reduce waste, and fight back against the throw-away culture in fashion, she said.
“Fashion is the second biggest polluter on the planet,” she explained. The current environment we live in is not sustainable.
“From a very young age, I have felt clothing was an investment, which is why this year, I created dresses using my previous collections.”
The garments were redesigned, with different styles and tailoring. Some had sleeves cut away, others had additions made, and Ms Ragunathan’s showstopper dress featured 220 metres of tulle, using cut-offs from the wedding dresses she makes.
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It was made with the leftover denim fabric from her Colours of Life collection last year.
She said there was a wonderful reception to her work, and said the showcase was an amazing way to share a message.
“The amount of appreciation was incredible,” she said. “I never thought I would have so much attention.”
Her work was unveiled on Saturday, September 18, at the The Royal Horseguards Hotel, in London.
The event was in aid of The Top Model Foundation, which supports sick children across the country.
“There were about 200 people at the show,” Ms Ragunathan said.
This was significantly more than her showcase last year, which was limited to less than 50 people due to coronavirus restrictions.
Prior to the event, one of her designs made it to the read carpet.
Her blue, sequinned dress was worn by television presenter, Angellica Bell, to the National Television Awards on Thursday, September 9.
Ms Ragunathan said Ms Bell was a great celebrity to dress, and she was pleased the television presenter chose her design from a number of options.
“She chose mine because it had a great story to go with it,” Ms Ragunathan explained. “I had a lovely message from her thanking me for the dress.”
Beyond the red carpet, Ms Ragunathan now has plans to open an atelier, the French term for a design studio, in the borough.
She recently moved her Finchampstead studio to Bracknell, but is looking for a creative workspace space in the borough, somewhere between Wokingham and Finchampstead.
“I am hoping and looking, because I need a proper studio space,” she explained.
With a team of five, her company, VzPerfection by Vaishali, is in high demand.
“My work is so specific, I’m not a high street brand, I do one-offs and made-to-measure pieces,” she said.
“But weddings have just taken off at the moment, I am having to turn people away, and I hate saying no to someone.”
She has been expanding on staff, and hopes to take on more clients as her popularity increases.
For more information, visit: www.vzperfection.co.uk
