Diving deep

Avantika Malhotra, daughter of a merchant navy veteran Captain Vikrant Malhotra, designs a unique collection based on Ocean Theme. ‘Whispers in the Current’ is not just a fashion collection, but a heartfelt tribute to the ocean’s mesmerising beauty. Avantika, the designer, says, “This collection is a reflection of my deep-rooted connection to the sea, a connection that has been a constant presence in my life. I wanted to capture the essence of the underwater world – the fluidity, the tranquility, and the mysteries that lie beneath the surface.” For Avantika, the ocean has been a lifelong muse, weaving through her memories and experiences. Growing up as the daughter of a merchant navy veteran and a master mariner Captain Vikrant Malhotra, Avantika has called coastal states of India like Maharashtra, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, etc, her home. Her passion for scuba diving, which began at eleven and led to her achieving an advanced open-water certification at fifteen, further deepened her bond with the sea. The dichotomous nature of the ocean, capable of soothing and disturbing, became the focal point of her collection. Through Whispers in the Current, Malhotra aims to explore the ocean’s captivating power and initiate conversations in personal comfort zones, drawing on her own experiences of scuba diving as a conduit for this message.