Design virtuoso James Ferreira opens up about heritage, his craft, and staying true to his own creative voice.
By Amber Dias
James Ferreira is one of India’s most distinctive designers, known for fluid drapes, minimal yet elegant silhouettes, and a philosophy that fuses heritage with contemporary ease. A true Bombay original, he studied at Sir JJ School of Art and began his career in the 1970s with Purple Pussycat, Orkay Textile Exports, and Bada Saab. His mastery of drape has become his signature, embraced by Shabana Azmi, Tina Ambani, Freida Pinto, and Sonam Kapoor. Beyond fashion, Ferreira has restored palaces, designed interiors, and celebrated his East Indian roots through food and heritage.
Excerpts from the interview…
Let’s start at the beginning. What drew you to fashion? How has your early exposure to varied traditions shaped your outlook on style and storytelling through fashion?
I found my way into fashion because of my mother, one of the most independent and stylish women I knew. I loved accompanying her to dressmakers: One week to Colaba for Jewish dressmakers who made her evening gowns, the next to Bandra to her cousin for day dresses, and then to Ann for hats. I never wanted to be left behind, if she went without me, I’d throw a tantrum. At 14, when a dressmaker passed away, my mother brought their workshop home. With three tailors upstairs, I sketched, suggested, and designed for family and friends, thus began my journey as a designer.
Your “one-piece fashion” drapes have become so signature. Do you remember the moment you first thought, ‘Okay, this works, this is me’?
When I began working in retail in the ‘80s, I realised how difficult it was for tailors to assemble dresses. Men’s fashion was refined, but women largely wore saris or salwar-kurtas, and much of Western dressmaking was lost. I began draping on a dummy to help the tailors, creating an outfit with a single piece of fabric with one seam, almost like a sari. Fashion, for me, has never been about sketching but about draping. Each fabric is a new challenge, and the onepiece drape became my signature. Each time I take up a fabric, I challenge myself to create something I have never done before.
From Bollywood costumes to running your own label to mentoring others, how would you say your creative identity has evolved over the years?
When I was working with Bada Saab in Bandra, it was also the time I moved out of my family home in Khotachiwadi and began living in Bandra. It was during this time that I designed for Bollywood productions (including films like ‘Shahenshah’, ‘Khuda Kasam’, ‘Tarzan’ and ‘Teri Bahon Mein’ – for the likes of Mithun Chakraborty and Amitabh Bachchan among many others).
Around the same time, I started teaching at Sophia College, an experience that turned out to be one of the most beautiful chapters of my life. I had just gone through a very painful personal tragedy, and it was the girls from Sophia who became my lifeline. They would come all the way to my house every morning to pick me up and take me to college. Among them were three truly special students – Archana, Geeta, and Lisa – whose encouragement and warmth carried me through that difficult time. Teaching there marked the beginning of my journey as a mentor.
You’ve spoken about systemic issues in Indian fashion, such as gaps in traditional garment training and the absence of a local sizing system. How do you see these being addressed?
There hasn’t been any real change; in fact, things have only become worse. We still don’t have proper Indian size charts, and almost every fashion college continues to teach an international syllabus. Yet, no one is teaching students how to make a ghagra choli, and that is what many of them end up designing once they leave these fancy colleges.
These days, I find myself teaching in smaller towns across India, and I must admit, I prefer it. In the smaller colleges, the hunger to learn is so much greater. This spirit moves me deeply, and it reminds me why I love teaching so much. Additionally, I believe that if we focus on nurturing artisans and their communities, we will produce designers far greater than any international syllabus could ever imagine.
Your dedication to preserving Khotachiwadi – from heritage tours to community efforts – shows your cultural activism. How does this connection to your neighbourhood influence your creative work?
About 35 years ago, when my youngest brother married, my parents asked me to return to Khotachiwadi. That’s when I began working to preserve the neighbourhood, a place I hadn’t fully appreciated as a child. Inspired, I set up the Khotachiwadi Welfare and Education Trust, though few were initially involved. My mother played a key role, inviting passing tourists in for tea, which became a part of the heritage tour. Today, when the cruise liners dock in Bombay (Mumbai), as part of the heritage tour, tourists come to Khotachiwadi. The tour has become a great success, not because of spectacle, but because people find joy in seeing something authentic, the rhythms of a neighbourhood, the beauty of ordinary lives lived with tradition and heart.
You were among the first to really spotlight everyday fabrics and turn them into luxury. What do you think that shift meant for Indian design?
When I first began working with traditional fabrics, people laughed at me. My Bengali gamcha collection wasn’t bought in India; only foreigners appreciated it. Traditional fabrics are so closely tied to people’s roots that, moving to the city, many wanted to leave that behind. Today, however, people are eager to rediscover their heritage, and handwoven textiles have become exciting and aspirational. I explored this path long before it was fashionable, with Maharashtrian Solapur blankets and the Bengali gamcha. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than a sari or a humble Solapur blanket; the richness of our heritage is astounding.
In your view, how has Indian fashion changed since you started out and what still hasn’t changed enough?
Indian fashion has changed enormously since I began. One of the biggest shifts is the revival of heritage fabrics, now appreciated after being overlooked for so long. Equally transformative has been the world opening up through travel, the internet, and global exposure. People understand cutting and construction in ways they never did before. My garments that would not have sold 15-20 years ago are now in demand, as clients recognise the value of thoughtful design, precise cuts, and wellconsidered silhouettes, marking a significant evolution in Indian fashion.
Are there any new projects or collaborations that you’d like to talk about?
I’m always looking to do something a little mad and new. These days, my greatest joy is cooking traditional East Indian meals. I never tried while my mother was alive, but now I often turn to her handwritten recipes – each of us children has a copy – and we still have our masalas pounded fresh every year. Food has always been central to our family, and I feel proud to be keeping that legacy alive while celebrating East Indian cuisine.
What advice would you give to young Indian designers who want to embrace tradition, depth and cultural integrity, rather than chasing fleeting trends?
Just be yourself – truly learn to be yourself. Discover what makes you tick, because that is so important. First, find out who you are and what you stand for; only then can you become a designer with a signature of your own. And never forget to criticise yourself – that’s how you grow.
Rapid Fire Round
Fabric you’ll never work with?
Polyester.
The one piece in your wardrobe you can’t live without?
My dhoti… or my salwar.
If not fashion, what career would you have chosen?
Architect… if I had been more interested in math.
Best compliment you’ve ever received?
I’m very proud of my home and when people appreciate that, it makes me very happy.
A skill you are proud of?
My cutting ability.
A colour you can never resist?
Black… especially for evening wear.
One city you’d happily live in (other than Mumbai)?
South Mumbai… I would never live anywhere else.
A current designer whose work excites you?
Myself.
A book or movie that inspires your creativity?
‘The Enchantress of Florence’ by Salman Rushdie and ‘Cuckold’ by Kiran Nagarkar.
