Gaurav Gupta’s name has become synonymous with avant-garde couture blending traditional Indian embroidery techniques with architectural fabric manipulation. This festive season Gupta expands his creative universe by collaborating with luxury Scotch whiskey manufacturer Chivas Regal on two limited edition bottles. Florentyna Syperek speaks to Gaurav Gupta about his ‘future primitive’ approach to design and inspiration behind the recent collaboration.
Indian master couturier Gaurav Gupta is best known for his ability to orchestrate a sublime dance of tradition and modernity in his designs – giving lehengas and sarees a futuristic treatment by adding elements such as sleek corseting or cloud-like capes and gravity-defying sculptural hoods in lieu of a dupatta. The otherworldly quality of his romantic draping and sophisticated silhouettes has made Gupta a favourite with luxury-lovers, industry insiders, and stars all around the world. Meanwhile his commitment to craftsmanship, including the use of intricate embroidery techniques from his native country, has earned Gupta a spot at Paris Haute Couture Week, where in 2023 he became the third Indian designer to showcase their work at the exclusive event. But the innovative designer imagines a universe that extends far beyond the fashion industry.
“The world that I envision is ever evolving,” says Gupta on the day of the global launch of his collaboration with Chivas Regal, a heritage Scotch whiskey brand originally founded in 1909. The couturier has designed two limited edition bottles and presentation boxes for Chivas Regal XV 15-year-old and Chivas Regal 12-year-old whiskeys, fusing cutting-edge design and reimagining a timeless classic.
Universal concepts meet modern luxury
Given complete creative freedom by Chivas Regal, Gaurav Gupta jumped at the opportunity to not only design the packaging, but to also create a short film featuring CGI creatures for the promotional campaign. “Who would not love that brief?” he laughs.
“I want to go back to storytelling through fantasy,” explains the designer further, expressing a deep desire to include universal symbols, which could resonate with everyone. All while maintaining his trademark decadent, mythology-inspired flair of course.
“That’s why the original fantasy creatures that we created with Chivas Regal, like The Winged Panther, could stand for strength, stand for agility, stand for hope, stand for purpose. […] And I’ve always been a bird, I’ve always had flying dreams since childhood,” adds Gupta, showcasing his masterful ability to blend personal influences with spiritual iconography. Similarly, The Serpent was inspired by Gupta being an astrological number eight, a symbol which also appears as his brand’s infinity logo, as well as “[…] human personal experiences. That’s why it has this shaking expandability when people even experience the packaging or the film. […] And then we have The Third Eye Sun, which is the Sun in all of us.”
However, Gaurav Gupta does not allow ancient philosophies and mythology to influence just his visual design – it is apparent that these notions are all encompassing in his life. “I think growing up in India, or any place which is full of ancestral spirit, naturally influences your brain and your creative brain. Time becomes more expanded. For me time is in loops of infinity, it doesn’t have a starting or an ending point. […] I love that we could be the second coming of the human race or the third coming. There’s so much evolution that has happened, there is so much more discovery that has happened. I think that naturally influences the depth of your expansion,” muses Gupta. “I see my design aesthetic as future primitive.”
Shared Values and Creative Synergy
While Gupta admits to having always loved whiskey, his choice to partner with Chivas Regal is one that is deeply personal. “There’s a lot of resonance between the two brands. I love Chivas Regal’s undying appreciation for pure creativity. I love how progressive they are.”
Shared commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability are another link between the two. Indeed, Chivas Regal has been moving towards becoming zero-waste by 2026, which resonated with Gupta. “I tend to use a lot of natural fabrics. My packaging comes from upcycled ocean and landfill plastic.”
“I love the fact that [Chivas Regal] are very grounded and still very open-minded,” he concludes. “I almost feel like this is a beginning for me, it kind of expands me as well. It’s the beginning of me showing my fantasy self in a different way. And I’m so happy that Chivas has been able to bring that to life.”
The creative synergy and common values of the Scottish whiskey manufacturer and the Indian designer are visible in the limited edition bottles unveiled as part of their collaboration. A showcase of sensual decadence dripping in glimmering gold, Chivas Regal XV x Gaurav Gupta is the epitome of bold luxury, while the silver edition of Chivas Regal 12 x Gaurav Gupta is suggestive of subtle sophistication, blending tradition with the designer’s visionary aesthetic. Together they embody the ever enduring essence and transformative power of constant evolution, a vital quality of true luxury.
Speaking of his approach while designing for Chivas Regal, Gupta said: “I don’t define design into clothes. I define design into brains or philosophies. And I think our clothes, our packaging, our creatures, our accessories, they all speak of that. Everything is limitless, looping and boundless. That’s what my purpose in life is, to tickle people’s brains.”
The legendary fashion designer and the world-renowned whiskey manufacturer succeeded in pushing the boundaries of what luxury means today and where it is headed. As the year draws to an end, it’s the perfect time to reflect upon the past and the transformations we want to undergo. With yet another success under his creative belt, what will Gaurav Gupta be toasting this year?
“Freedom of expression and celebration. In ancient cultures, you see a lot more maximalism in celebration. [They would] celebrate unabashedly. […] So I want to celebrate freedom of expression and the expanding of minds.”
Chivas Regal and Gaurav Gupta invite Noctis readers to join them for a drink and celebrate the collaboration by recreating one of the two signature cocktails served at the global launch to mark this special partnership.
Infinitea
A refreshing Chivas Regal XV cocktail, infused with caramel Darjeeling tea, soda, and mint, served in a highball
Ingredients:
50ml Chivas Regal XV
100ml Caramel infused Darjeeling tea
50ml Soda
Garnish: Mint sprig
Ananas Infinitum
A sweet and spicy Chivas 12 Year Old cocktail, with pineapple, lemon, honey, and jalapeño, served in a tumbler
Ingredients:
30ml Chivas Regal 12 Year Old
30ml Pineapple Juice
20ml Lemon Juice
20ml Honey Syrup (2:1)
3 slices of Jalapeno
Garnish: Jalapeno slice
Special edition bottles of Chivas Regal XV x Gaurav Gupta and Chivas Regal 12 x Gaurav Gupta are available globally through select luxury retailers and Global Travel Retail (GTR). To find out more about the collaboration follow @chivasregal and @gauravguptaofficial on social media or visit chivas.com.
Words: Florentyna Syperek
Photography: Adam Pietraszewski
Cocktail recipes courtesy of Chivas Regal x Gaurav Gupta