By Simran Kaur

There was no real contest when fashion156 chose who we wanted to interview for this issue - it had to be Ashish Gupta. In a city which hatches new designers and sub-cultures seemingly every day, Ashish has earned his title as the 'King of Sequins', subverting any cocktail party associations we might have made by contrasting the material with his own luxe sportswear aesthetic.

His own start in the industry resembles a fashion fairy tale; when he moved to Paris to work at a studio, his portfolio and cash were stolen at the Gare du Nord and the plan abandoned – until Yeda Yen, at Browns Focus, came across the clothes he had been making for his friends and placed an order with him.

We caught up with Ashish for an update:

Where are you now and what are you working on?
I'm in London at the moment,  working on the aw09 collection.

Sequins feature heavily in your work from your clothes to your website,  could you explain your fascination with them?
I love working with colour and light, that's perhaps where it comes from? I love the magical quality that sequins have.

Would you ever consider not using sequins in your collections,   or are you glad to have developed such a strong signature?
I love sequins and beads and embroidery, I can't imagine not using it in my work. It defines my work.

All of your collection is made in India - why do you have a workshop there?
The level of skill and craftsmanship for creating and manipulating sequinned cloth is not available anywhere else in the world.

Do you think you are inspired more by British or Indian culture or do you tend to look elsewhere?
I don't really tend to think about it. I go with whatever inspires me, and usually it's a blend of real life and  fantasy.

There is always quite an urban or sporty edge mixed in with glamour in your collections - is practicality in design important  to you?
Yes, very important. Clothes should be comfortable. I want an evening gown to feel as easy as a t-shirt. Everything should have pockets.

Do you feel that designers should take notice of world events i.e. the economy and politics, or should fashion be a break from this and be a form of fun and entertainment?
I think its difficult to design without world events affecting you, even on a subconcious level. Fashion needs to be relevant on some level.

Army or camouflage prints were a theme in your SS collection - if you were ever offered the chance to re-design military dress  uniform, what would you come up with?
I'd rather design something for the Peace Corp.

How important has chance been in your career - we noticed playing cards and dice on your dresses?
My entire career seems to be based on chance. My portfolio was stolen when I went to Paris for job interviews after I finished my MA at St. Martins (someone thought my portfolio was a laptop case I think!) So I began making clothes for friends, and one of them was spotted  by Yeda Yen (who was then the buyer for Browns Focus), wearing a jumper that I had made. That was my first order and that's how my career began.

Can you tell fashion156 what you're up to next?
I'm designing my new collection and starting an interior design project. I also just finished my third range of 'Ashish for Topshop' which is available in Topshop stores now – actually Beyonce just bought the whole range!!

Could you name  someone unexpected who you would like to dress?
I would love to dress Beth Gibbons. I'm a huge fan.