Debabrata Pal had a secure job, was drawing a fat salary and leading a comfortable life. However, he wasn’t happy as he had always wanted to do something else. So, one fine day he quit his job to pursue his dreams. Today, Debabrata is one of the most promising fashion designers and has been making an effort to revive Odisha’s handloom and put it on the global fashion map. Besides, he is also a painter par excellence, whose works have been appreciated by prominent personalities.
Debabrata, who blends Odisha’s traditional handloom with contemporary designs and creates ready-to-wear dresses, will also be launching his label soon. The Bhubaneswar-born designer spoke to Orissa POST on his journey from being an engineer to a fashion designer and painter.
He was attracted towards painting and designing since childhood. “My mother was my first teacher. She is a brilliant painter and used to make jhoti chita (rangoli) during pujas and other social events. I learnt the art of making rangolis from her and later started using rice paste to make them (more attractive). Besides, my mother also loves wearing handloom sarees. So, I got exposed to colours at an early age. It was my mother who inspired me to become a fashion designer and painter,” says Debabrata, who is based out of Mumbai.
In fact, Debabrata had never wanted to become an engineer. “I had always wanted to do something big in fashion designing. I allowed the flames of passion for fashion and painting burn in me all through my days in college, which failed to subside even after I took up a job. When I was working, I would feel claustrophobic, as I was not being able to give more time to my fashion designing. I got desperate to quit my job although my parents were against my decision,” says the techie-turned-fashion designer.
That said, Debabrata had never imagined that he would make it big in the world of fashion and painting within a short span of time. “During my initial days, I made a portrait of Odissi exponent Prachiti Dange, who is from Maharashtra. She was impressed with my work, which appeared in quite a few newspapers. This brought me in the limelight. Next, I got a chance to showcase my designs at the Lakme Fashion Week 2018 (LFW), where I came across fashion designer Anita Dongre. Impressed with my creations, she offered me to work with her,” he adds.
The fashion designer says that he loves sporting his own designs. Debabrata, who was fast becoming popular, next came across actress Varsha Usgaonkar, who took a liking for his designs. “She asked me to design her outfits. I also do her styling. I had the opportunity to work with actresses Sushmita Sen and Kangana Ranaut as assistant stylists at LFW,” says Debabrata, who hand-painted all the posters of Karan Johar’s Kalank. “Actor Varun Dhawan was so impressed with my work that he ensured that the film’s poster be launched in my presence,” he adds.
Debabrata, who will soon be launching his label Konakitika, feels that there is no dearth of talent in Odisha. “The sad thing is that weavers are living in penury due to lack of support from the government. Middlemen are taking advantage of the situation. They are minting money by paying the weavers negligible amount for their creations and are selling them at a hefty price. Despite a rich heritage of handloom and weaving, the industry is suffering because of lack of support. I would like to do a fusion of handloom and modern fabrics. I want to make an effort to revive the lost craft and textiles and help the ailing handloom industry. Our rich traditional textiles are not being marketed properly outside the state,” he says.
Debabrata, who is equally passionate about painting and fashion, says, “They are like two vital organs of my body. I cannot live without them. However, I am still learning and have a long way to go,” says the fashion designer.
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP