London Fashion Week - Nitin Bal Chauhan

Written by Grace Wilson

Photography by Chris Yates

Northern-Indian designer Nitin Bal Chauhan made a resounding statement at London Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2024 with his mesmerising "Edge" collection, captivating the audience with a blend of tradition, structural creativity, and sustainability.

Chauhan's collection is a masterful marriage of ancient techniques and contemporary aesthetics. I was profoundly impressed to see an entirely unique approach to the fusion of combining stark two-dimensional embroidery with metal and contrasting against the softness of the garments' materials. The combination of metal and wool - though unconventional - finds harmony in Chauhan's hands, with a colour palette reminiscent of brutalist architecture, echoing the strength of stone alongside the delicacy of hand-spun wool. The choice of colour palette adds a clever layer to Chauhan's collection, as the simplicity of the authentic stone palette sleekly embraces and enhances the  complexity of its structure. While the muted tones might seem unassuming at first glance, they serve as a canvas upon which the intricate details and dynamic shapes of the garments truly shine.

What sets Chauhan's collection apart is not just its visual appeal but its commitment to sustainability. With a zero-waste approach, Chauhan drapes his garments without cutting any fabric, ensuring minimal environmental impact.

The decision to exclusively use hand-spun and hand-woven materials sourced from Ladakh, Northern India, holds profound significance. Not only does it pay homage to Chauhan's cultural roots, but it also revitalises centuries-old traditions of wool spinning in the region. Through direct collaboration with shepherds and tribes, Chauhan not only supports local communities but also preserves indigenous craftsmanship that might otherwise fade into obscurity.

His deliberate choice of non-dyed fibre wool underscores his ethos for sustainability, showcasing a reverence for natural materials and an aversion to the environmental toll of conventional dyeing processes. The natural colours of the material adheres to the authentic backbone of NBC’s designs, allowing the creativity of his textural and structural exploration to carry his collection into a space of authentic and unique expression. All garments are hand sown also, which continues to significantly reduces the collection's carbon footprint, aligning his practice with principles of environmental stewardship, but also enhances the authentic aspect of the creation process behind all of his work which makes it so uniquely inspiring in an industry of mass production.

Nitin Bal Chauhan's journey in the fashion industry has been nothing short of remarkable. Since his label's debut at India Fashion Week in 2007, where he won the Debut of the Year award, Chauhan has continued to push boundaries and defy conventions. His work has gained international acclaim, with showcases at London Fashion Week, Tokyo Fashion Week, and the Tranoi Fair in Paris.

With each hand-stitch and creatively-imagined silhouette, Chauhan bridges the gap between tradition and modernity, offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Indian craftsmanship while charting a course towards a more sustainable future for fashion.