Embracing Global Heritage: A Journey Through Venice + Cannes Film Festivals with Fashion Designer
As the cinematic world converges upon the prestigious Venice and Cannes Film Festivals, the impact of these iconic events extends far beyond the silver screen. For Indian origins British designer, the Festivals symbolize a vibrant intersection of culture, fashion, and storytelling that resonates deeply with her brand ethos and personal heritage. Known for her tagline “House of Heritage,” Pasricha’s designs encapsulate a fusion of modernity and traditional craftsmanship, reflecting the rich tapestry of Indian culture while appealing to an international audience.
In an exclusive interview, shared her emotional journey from receiving an invitation to both festivals to curating her stunning collections that honor both old Hollywood glamour and contemporary sustainability. Her latest pieces, inspired by the elegance and sophistication of cinematic history, were carefully selected for their ability to convey narratives woven into the fabric of her designs. Experiences at these festivals allowed her not only to showcase her creations but also to immerse herself in a community of fellow artists and creators, expanding her understanding of the role fashion plays within the broader artistic landscape.
As Pasricha navigated the ever-evolving dialogue of sustainability and cultural representation at these esteemed events, she conveyed her aspirations to elevate her global design ideology rooted in rich Indian handwork on the global stage. With meaningful interaction and networking opportunities abundant at both Venice and Cannes, Bani Pasricha is both a storyteller and a pioneer, working to ensure that her heritage and designs resonate in a universally relevant context. In a world where boundaries are blurring and cultures are merging, Pasricha’s work stands as a testament to the timeless beauty of art as a unifying force. Find below the exclusive interview with Bani Pasricha:
Venice is renowned not only for its cinematic history but also for its rich cultural heritage. How did your invitation to the Venice Film Festival resonate with you as a designer of Indian heritage, and what does it symbolize for your brand on an international platform?
Well , our tag line is “House of Heritage” , as a designer and as a brand Venice Film Festival syncs in well with roots of our brand . A modern well designed outfit with rich embroideries and silhouettes that very well represents my inspiration and design ideology – Modern yet rooted in tradition’s and cultural wealth. For us it symbolizes Syncronicity
What were your initial thoughts and feelings upon receiving the invitation to the Venice Film Festival? Can you share specific emotions or memories from that moment?
Well, immediately after attending Cannes Film Festival , I got an invite for Venice Film Festival and was so excited yet very grateful because Venice Film Festival Is hugely inspired by culture, aesthetics and talent and I must say every moment at Venice Film Festival was nothing less that a dream .
What inspired the specific pieces you chose to showcase at Venice? Can you walk us through your design selection process, considering the festival’s glamorous yet artistic milieu?
So my outfit was very inspired by old world Hollywood glamour with velvet sleeves and black tube gown with pleated gathers at waist for a soft feminine ,demure yet powerful impact .
The Venice Film Festival is known for its artistic focus. How do you interpret the acclaim received there in the context of your brand’s aesthetic and values?
Absolutely I agree to that . Well it’s an honour for my brand to be at a stage where culture and talent is seen and honoured beyond any boundaries. And that is the aim of our brand to be able to serve any client looking for Rich Heritage Aesthetics perfect for Modern times .
Were there any particular moments or reactions during your time at the Venice Film Festival that stood out to you? How did they shape your experience and understanding of your audience?
I was really inspired by the dressing sense of literally each and everyone at the event . A niche , elegant , classy understated old money vibe . The event truly exuded a rich core of Heritage and Talent
Walking the red carpet can be both thrilling and daunting. Can you describe your emotions while presenting your work to an international audience? How did the atmosphere affect your approach to the event?
Well I won’t lie I was nervous because this is one of a kind global elite audience . But when I was at the event , it felt very comfortable as if me , the brand and the event naturally synced in and it went on very gracefully.
Venice often emphasizes sustainability within art and culture. How did you address or engage with sustainable practices during this festival? Did it facilitate conversations about eco-fashion within your network?
Well absolutely yes ! Below mentioned is our sustainability statement : and of course we have incorporated this into our collection making process.
Venice is a city of tales and cinema. In what ways do you believe that your designs tell a story, and how did this narrative align with the cinematic essence of the festival?
Yes absolutely . Being an artist – emotions , art , aesthetics inspire me a lot . For example I created a very beautiful cocktail dress inspired by a broken evil eye charm bracelet that turned out to be our bestseller .
And as for the red carpet walk at the festival the outfit I wore was a old Hollywood glamour inspired outfit and Venice Film Festival is heavily inspired by Hollywood that seemed to be a perfect match – SYNCRONICITY – I would say .
After your experience at the Venice Film Festival, how do you envision the trajectory of Bani Couture on international platforms? What specific goals do you hope to achieve in the future?
Well it was a brilliant push for our brand at such an Elite and Prestigious global platform and it definitely made our brand visible to the likes of the audience at Venice Film Festival . For our future goals , We intend to be more visible and available for our Niche audience who could benefit and enjoy the most from our unique luxury designs and creative ideology
Cannes instead is synonymous with fashion, glamour, and prestige. How did this environment influence your design choices for this festival compared to Venice?
Well absolutely correct ! Cannes is OTT GLAMOUR and high energy festival . the vibe was a total high octane glamour with the best of the fashion world on red carpet literally every minute of your sight . It’s a delight for any fashionista and fashion enthusiast . its just the energy of this glamour that inspired me for every piece of our next collection that will be launched soon .
With high-profile celebrities attending Cannes, how did your marketing strategy or collection focus shift to cater to a more celebrity-driven audience?
Well it definitely has influenced my designs to be more stream lined as per our celebrity and elite audience with more monochromes cocktail and evening wear and more focused elegant handwork added to the new collection .
What particular themes or inspirations did you draw upon for your collection at Cannes? How do these relate to both your design ethos and current global narratives?
Well we definitely touched upon the global narrative – sustainability – with the kind of confusion this term could brings in – we have focused over the past couple of years to incorporate and spread awareness about sustainability practices we have incorporated over the past decade even before this terminology became a thing . we had a wonderful chance to exhibit all of this and combine it with our global heritage design ideology for our audience.
Cannes attracts a plethora of industry insiders. How did their feedback on your designs shape or influence your future collections or business strategies?
It was definitely a boost for us since we had overwhelmingly positive response for our designs , our integrity with sustainability which encouraged us further to produce even more glamour , heritage and sustainability centric designs.
As one of the first and a few Indian Asian designers at Cannes, what does it mean for you to represent your culture in such a high-profile setting, particularly in the Western-dominated fashion narrative?
It’s a life time proud moment to bring global design ideology to such a special platform where art and culture is in the heart of any activity . I would love to see more and more Indian designers to be on the platform since India is a culturally rich country and has a lot to offer in terms of culture history cinema and heritage.
Festivals like Cannes provide unique networking opportunities. Can you share how these connections have impacted your career or led to potential collaborations?
Absolutely, I have had the immense grateful opportunity to connect with one of the best and most humble industry professionals . It just makes you grow as a person that definitely reflects in my designs and further streamlined business strategies.
Given that Cannes celebrates cinema, how do you see the relationship between film and fashion evolving? Do you draw direct inspirations from films in your design process?
The relationship between cinema and fashion is an eternal bond. Cinema always needs fashion; if you notice in every era and decade cinema has been an incredible platform for fashion to take a new direction and at the same time cinema needs fashion to portray a strength of their characters and environment influencing the character to wear certain kind of clothes.
For me , I don’t draw direct inspiration from cinema so far. for me it’s always been nature or any spontaneous element that just eventually turns into a story of its own on runway .
Reflecting on your experience at the Cannes Film Festival, how do you hope your participation will influence the future of Indian designers on the international stage? What legacy do you wish to leave?
I definitely want to see more Indian designers on the platform and this beautiful and exotic mix of culture is possible and I have seen the west embracing these designs with enthusiasm and joy . The legacy I want to leave is Globalism . Today’s time is a wonderful opportunity to dissolve borders , let cultures merge still maintaining their own essence and beauty and hence broadening the spectrum of art , culture, heritage , cinema on a very global level . let art be the language of love to bind the Globe together .
