Gunjan Arora is an alumnus of NIFT –Delhi, batch of 1995 where he majored in Fashion Design and pursued his interest in textile practices. His experience across genres of Fashion & Textiles, extensive travels and a keen eye for Art lead him to acclaimed projects as a Costume Designer and becoming a creator of a patented form of Textile making. He had delivered a TEDx talk on his sustainable Art practice in the year 2018.

Experience: Designer

• Assisted Designer Geetanjali Kashyap from the year 1995 till 1997, working on textile intensive collections based on block prints, Shibori- japanese tie-dye technique and Banarasi weaves.
• Worked as a Freelance design consultant with Garment Export firms from 1997 to 1999, enabling him to travel extensively to Europe and the USA and widen his horizons.
• Started his own label “Sirali” in the year 2000 that retailed through Designer stores across India and the USA. His Collections have been graced by celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell, Kiran Rao and Malaika Arora.
• Launched a duo label “Gunjan & Rahul” in the year 2004 that was showcased at all major fashion weeks

• Launched a duo label “Gunjan & Rahul” in the year 2004 that was showcased at all major fashion weeks and retailed through high-end designer Boutiques across India.
• Started a ready to wear label “Aananda” that catered to most major Indian chain stores and a selected few in the Middle East.

Experience: Costume Designer

• Gunjan is currently also costume designers for some prominent forthcoming films besides having done numerous advertisement and theatre assignments.
• Costume designer for the Indo French Opera “The Flowering Tree” staged at the “Opera Du’Chatelet”, Paris, 2015.
• Researcher and Costume designer for French films “Le Bon Pain” and “Le Passé ” in the year 2012 and 2013 respectively.
• Associate Costume Designer for the Critically acclaimed film “Haider” directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. The film received a National Award for the same. Year 2014.
• Costume designer for the film “Dear Maya” and an acclaimed short film “Chutney” that released in 2016-2017.
• Is a Costume designer for some yet to be released Indian films including a Prakash Jha film titled “Jhalki”.
• Yet to release film “ZIA” featuring Hollywood actor Eric Roberts.
• Costumes for all productions by Dadi Pudumji a Padmshri awardee puppeteer from1997 till now.
• Has been a guest speaker at College of Art on various occasions.
• Indian Institute of Art & Design: Joined as “Course Leader- MA” in January 2019 and working till da

Experience: Artist

Having developed and patented a technique to make textile/ art using waste threads in the year 2004, Gunjan Arora held his first solo show in the year 2006 in Delhi. Has managed to create a consortium of Handloom Weavers, Spinning Mills and Textile centers who contribute rejected or waste threads to make his Art form an Environment friendly practice that does meaningful upscale of textile waste.

• Has been a part of 8 solo and 14 group shows since the year 2006.Has exhibited across galleries in India, The Middle East, the USA, England, and Australia.
• His works are in the collectives of Hollywood actors Sir Sean Connery & Eric Roberts, Ratan Tata besides some corporate houses and private Collectors.
• Was awarded the “Make in India “Award for his Contribution to Art in the year 2016 by the Indian Chambers of Commerce.
• Has showcased at 3 Editions of Art Fairs in India and 5 Editions of the “ID”-India Design, the premier Interior Design fair of India.
• Has a bespoke series “Art to wear” that are unique Art like clothing made using threads.

Experience: Educator

Has been actively sharing his knowledge and experiences through

• Pearl Academy, Naraina, Delhi: Visiting Faculty to Fashion and Communication Departments. Conducted modules on “Costume Design”, “Implication of Art on Fashion” and “Character Building through costumes” in the year 2014, 2015 and 2016.
• Pearl Academy, Noida: Visiting Faculty to the fashion Department conducting modules of “Costume design”, “Innovative Textiles” and” Art & Textiles” in the year 2014,2016,2017.
• Indian Institute of Art & Design, Delhi: Visiting Faculty for Design Department. Conducted Modules/workshops on “Spatial visualization through costumes”, “Live Illustrations”, Innovating through Textiles” in the years 2017 and 2018.
• NIFT, Delhi: Part of the internal Design Mentor team guiding the students to enhance their interpretations and presentation. From 2012 till 2016.
• Indian Institute of Art & Design: Joined as “Course Leader- MA” in January 2019 and working till da

Experience: Consultant

• Design consultant with Blackberrys-1996-1998.
• Design consultant with “Spirit of Challenge” 1998-2000
• Design consultant -special seasons for Benetton-India, 2002-2005
• Technical Design intervention program -URMUL, Rajasthan,2008
• Sourcing consultant with Apparel international Sourcing-Okhla, 2004-2009
• Textile Concept & Design consultant with Sarita Handa, 2001-2004, 2006-2009 & 2014-2016
• Design Director-Art with ARTEiZEN, for wall art & art lighting categories. 2019-till date.

Experience: Curator

2017:

• The Designer-Artist was the Craft Curator to the recently concluded event- “Design X-FACADE”, a design festival hosted by the times group. 2018-19:

• Curated and developed textiles for refurbishing project at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

2022:

• Curated “Naveli Khadi”, an exhibition of khadi saris commemorating 75 years of Indian independence for Khadi India & Centre of Excellence for Khadi.

• Conceptualised & designed space displays for COEK at the recently concluded Crafts Week, October 2022 in Delhi.

Experience: Research

• For CRT-Craft Revival Trust conducted research program on Endangered textile craft practices of “Danka “embroidery-2006, Rare stitches & patterns of Chikankari-2009 and “Gyasar” weaving -2016.
• Conducted & lead a research trip to document “Kheta” embroidery – a sustainable textile practice by the Shersahbadi women in the Kishanganj District of southern Bihar.
• Currently researching on “Khes-the forgotten pride of an undivided land.” Khes was a household textile that was woven by women of the household in the Punjab province of the undivided India.