Gaurav Gupta’s aesthetic has long been synonymous with sartorial pluck. The hues are invariably audacious, the silhouettes take more risks than a Gaspar Noé film and the idea always rings with a resonant thought. Gupta’s film, ​​’Universal Love’, is no exception. The short film, which premiers tonight, is an extension of ‘Name is Love’, Gupta’s previous couture show, which at its nexus is about ‘love being just pure love’. We caught up with the designer for a little insight into the film, the collection, and the idea that strings it all together–love…

Gaurav Gupta on his new collection, a new film and menswear in India

GQ: Tell us a little about the collection–we’d love to know more about the menswear in particular?

Gaurav Gupta: “The collection is inspired by the cosmos. The galaxy, the stars, the nebula. The menswear is very sharp, tailored–very sexy. For the first time, the menswear has metallic accents–constellations of sorts with lines and details running over the velvet bandhgalas and tuxedos. One of the most interesting pieces we’ve done is the men’s corsets–a new cummerbund on the tuxedos. We’ve explored hues with depth this time as well–think night teal and a bottle green, for instance.”

GQ: What sort of hues, silhouettes and details can we look forward to?

GG: I think Gaurav Gupta man has its own, very unique philosophy, and its own universe. You’ll find flared trousers–a touch of extra flare for the new GG man–and the gold centaur brooch that works both worn on your sleeve or lapel. The idea of the universe ties in especially because it’s proressive, futuristic.”

GQ: Take us through the making of the film? What did you want it to convey?

GG: “We shot the film at the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. We did these larger-than-life projections of the sun, moon, and the planets. It was a beautiful place, quite a challenge to shoot in such a larger space in one day! It was quite ambitious, but my team is ambitious (and fantastic) and I’m thankful to them for making it happen. The goal was to transport our audience to a different universe–a universe of love. What I wanted to convey through it is simply that love is everywhere, and we ought to revel in it.

GQ: The term ‘Universal Love’ has a particular relevance in 2021… What is the thought behind it for GG?

GG: “We wanted the concept of celebrating all kinds of love to be at the heart of it–be it a lesbian couple, a gay couple, a bigger-sized girl, an older woman falling in love with a younger man–all coming together like a Gaurav Gupta family. Through the pain and the experience of the pandemic, we’ve seen many new kinds of relationships–new kinds of love–and that’s exactly what we want to celebrate.”