Avantika Malhotra

Collection
Image: Irene Bueso wearing Look 2, 'WHISPERS IN THE CURRENT'. Shot by Pablo Gonzalez.

WHISPERS IN THE CURRENT

The ocean has remained a constant presence in my life, serving as a reference point connecting different memories. As the daughter of a captain, I’ve lived on a ship and always in coastal cities. I started scuba diving at 11, and at 15 I got qualified as advanced open water. Connecting us to each other and the earth we inhabit, the ocean is a place of observation and memory where past, present, and future exist in one.
WHISPERS IN THE CURRENT explores my dichotomous relationship with the ocean – it has the ability to soothe but also disturb. The collection aims to spark a conversation on personal comfort zones, by highlighting the overlap between comfort and fear. I use my personal experiences of scuba diving as a conduit to share this message. 
Video: 'WHISPERS IN THE CURRENT' collection trailer. Cinematography by Anya Osipov. Soundscape by Pablo Gonzalez.
Image: Research and print development.
Image: Silhouette development.

Team Credits

Designer: AVANTIKA MALHOTRA
Bags collaborator: CHRISTIAN OLARTE
Photographers: PABLO GONZALEZ and YINGZI ZHANG
Cinematographer: ANYA OSIPOV
Models: IRENE BUESO and SHREYA LABH
Make-up: FRANKIE PANGILINAN
Hair: AUSTIN WEBER
Style consultant: JENNA SHEARER
Production assistant: ENRIQUE MARSHALL

Bio

Avantika Malhotra is a New York-based fashion designer. Her work investigates the relationship between self and world; inviting viewers to connect with the intangible emotions that govern us.

Coming from the intersection of two rich cultures, born in Mumbai and raised in Hong Kong, Avantika’s work embodies a merging of diverse influences and design sensibilities.

Using fashion as a tool to highlight experiences that belong to both the personal and collective realms, she strives to prompt dialogue and conversation through her designs.