STYLE

Bibhu Mohapatra adds lavender, tangerine, and teal to his designs

By Amanda Knorr

|  GLOBE CORRESPONDENTNOVEMBER 17, 2011

Bibhu Mohapatra says his Indian heritage informs his choice of colors and textures.

One of Mohapatra’s designs.

As New Englanders buckle down for a cold, dark winter, designer Bibhu Mohapatra reminds us there’s light (in shades of lavender, tangerine, and teal) at the end of the tunnel. His stunning spring 2012 collection – and the man himself – made the scene at the W hotel Tuesday with behind-the-scenes footage from his recent Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show. (It’s all part of the W’s Fashion Next series.) This week, Mohapatra’s collections will also fill the window displays at Neiman Marcus in Copley. We rang the master of evening-wear, who explained his latest collection and left us longing to ditch the cashmere and corduroys.

Q. Who was the muse for your recent collection?

A. I’ve always thought Helmut Newton’s woman and my woman have many things in common. I was inspired by [his] work for the spring, which resulted in a collection that’s bold, sexy, strong, yet feminine. The clothes are a study of opposites: structured with drapes, hard with soft, masculine with feminine.

Q. Who do you see wearing this collection?

A. Strong, confident, self-assured, well-traveled women who appreciate beautifully crafted clothes. These are the women who do not chase fashion, they make fashion.

Q. How has your Indian upbringing inspired your designs?

A. My heritage always comes out in my design in many subtle ways. Because of [it], I can understand colors and textures.

Q. Favorite color combo for the spring?

A. Tangerine or a robin’s egg blue mixed with beige and bone colors.

Q. Do you have a fabric of choice?

A. Most of my fabrics come from European mills. I just came back from India where I’ve signed up with the government to work with the handloom weavers to design a collection of textiles that will be marketed in India and abroad. I’m really excited about working with the weavers directly in making real couture fabrics.

Q. Most versatile piece in the spring collection?

A. There’s one that I call the “perfect date dress.’’ It’s a black cocktail dress with a strip of tiny Swarovski crystals at the waist.

Q. Your designs have subtle, sexy accents. What’s your key to showing a little, but not too much?

A. Sexy is really a delicate balance of boldness and sophistication. Sexy has to be tasteful or it is pointless.

Q. What can we expect from your window displays at Neiman’s?

A. I’m not sure I can say much. . . . It’s going to be based on a children’s storybook, and each scene will have a couple of my clothes drawn into a fantasy world.

Q. Is it “Where the Wild Things Are,’’ “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,’’ or “Goodnight Moon?’’

A. You’ll have to come see!

Amanda Knorr can be reached at amanda@spreedia.com.