It was to the meditative vibrations of Leo Consendai’s “Gong Bath” that Ashish staged his hauntingly beautiful AW19 offering at February's London Fashion Week.

Though rich with all of the hallmarks that one would expect from Gupta – multitudinous sequins, a riot of embellishment, and a casting that was as vast and beautifully diverse as his own kaleidoscopic sewing box – there was a stillness that ran like a sense of reflection throughout this collection. A moment of contemplation, perhaps, that manifested itself as fiercely skilled crochet and deftly detailed will-o-the-wisp gowns that wafted through the stillness. 

When he was 16 years-old, Ashish worked in a "fast fashion" factory, producing clothes to be sold en masse to the global market. By contrast, his AW19 show exhibited a slower, more considered message, echoing and reverberating poignantly about the cavernous chamber in which he staged his spectacle... It was the breathing space that Ashish has been yearning for, and the moment of calm that we, the spectators, all needed amidst the frenzy of Fashion Month to truly appreciate a man and his craft.


What’s the mantra you tell yourself first thing in the morning? 
I hate mornings! However, usually the last thing I tell myself every night is: "Everything is going to be fine!"

How do you take your coffee? 
Extra hot, “skinny” decaf flat white.

If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would you be doing instead? 
I’d be writing a book and/or travelling through India with a camera as my companion. 



If you could only keep one outfit in your wardrobe, which would it be? 
A Roberta's Pizza hoody with an illustration of a wizard by Dennis Chow, plus a pair of bottle green, crushed velvet Ann Demeulemeester trousers.

Who’s one person you’d love to have dinner with? 
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez... She is so inspiring!


What’s the main thing you would like to achieve this year? 
Reduce my stress levels – and do more cardio. 



Who would you want to record your audio autobiography, voice-wise?
Nigella Lawson.


Why do you think you ended up doing what you do?
I fell in love with glamour at a very young age, and I just wanted to spend my life making beautiful clothes!


More 8Qs:

+ Alexa Chung: "Nobody has a mantra - except for people being interviewed!"

+ Manolo Blahnik:
"Keep going, keep going, keep going!"

+ Emma Hill: 
"I only ever wanted to be a fashion designer"

Tags: 8Qs , Ashish , AW19 , Ashish gupta