Masters of Minimalism with a flair for experimental play, David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore will always be the storytellers of fashion. In a contemporary world going through a communication breakdown, Abraham & Thakore connect the dots through different modes of communication in their latest Spring/Summer 2024 collection, Body Language.

Exploring the depths of the written word through the multilingual medium of textile, Abraham and Thakore presented the timeless collection on Sustainable Fashion Day at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI.

The brand’s signature black and white colour palette played the perfect canvas for the design language, including alphabets, morse code, braille, and binary numbers beautifully woven and printed on striking silhouettes featuring sarees, pant suits, dhoti pants, skirts, shirts, and more.

“Clothing has been an important part of human identity. As a species, you don’t just use words; you also use your clothes to communicate. We played around with the idea of communication, and it inspired us to develop patterns and motifs that are inspired by different methods of communication. For instance, alphabets, symbols, braille—these have given us a visual palette,” express designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore.

Showcasing in the capital after almost 5 years, David and Rakesh truly believe that fashion plays a huge role when it comes to communicating. “There are subtle markers in how clothing communicates your value system. If you go to rural India, certain sarees are woven for a certain caste. Even dressing up is an emotional decision that you make. We want to tell people who we are, where we went, where we studied—all these are communicated through fashion and what we choose to wear,” share the designer duo.

Abraham & Thakore have always won hearts for their sustainable approach towards fashion and design. They are one of the few designers who develop their own textiles and are also strong believers that if a skirt is considered fashion, so is a saree.

Opening the show with a black saree with fine laser-cut work pallu, the collection featured 47 extraordinary pieces swimming in letters, numbers, and symbols. A perfect conversation starter, each motif and print was brought to life through the meticulous craftsmanship of ikat, badla, sequin, brocades, laser cut work, and ajrakh.

Presented by Reliance Brands Ltd., the unique styling, upbeat music and off-site venue brilliantly communicated Abraham & Thakore’s vision and left us speechless.