ISSUE: 143 Long fascinated by Indian fabric, Nikita Gupta has launched an attractive line of contemporary apparel in traditional block prints What is your design philosophy? NG: I pursued an undergraduate degree in Fashion Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. Being in a fashion school and studying amongst the top creative minds in the country gave me an insight into the glaring gap in the market in terms of block prints. My undergraduate degree helped me understand the construction and to an extent the design bit of things. This knowledge played an integral ..read more

ISSUE: 142 When Aditi & Divam Jain plunged into the already crowded space of women’s apparel, they were more intent on the journey than the destination Introduce us to the Fabnest brand philosophy. A&D: It’s pretty clear cut and simple. We work very hard to create comfortable all-occasion wear, silhouettes for everyone at affordable price points. We have reviewed Indian female body specs in detail along with various fits that other brands offer to come up with masterpieces. Our primary focus is to develop fusion/modern silhouettes using various crafts and fabrics. For example, we ..read more

ISSUE: 137 Kunal Rawal believes in offering his clients a choice of nonconformist and multi-functional ethnic wear with global appeal How does your cultural background impact your design language? KR: While fashion is moving towards becoming more acceptable and individualistic, today’s customers are always looking for designs that stand out and look more personal and unique. Taking a rather non-conformist and multifunctional approach to fashion, my designs revolve around creating ethnic wear for the modern Indian man, which is deeply rooted in the Indian culture but also has global appeal ..read more

ISSUE: 136 Sheena Uppal is committed to creating limited quantities of thoughtful and ethical wardrobe staples for women How were you drawn to design? SU: From a young age, I was drawn to fashion styling and expressing myself through my clothes. I spent a few years working in my family’s garments and textiles business, learning about fabrics and embroideries, which I now enjoy bringing to life through Rengé. I was never very academically inclined in school. I’m a kinaesthetic learner and always found that I learnt more through ‘doing’ and problem solving. I studied Fashion Marketing and ..read more

ISSUE: 136 Amrish Kumar has transformed Ritu Kumar, a boutique business started 50 years ago, into a highly successful women’s apparel company with multiple brands. Ritu Kumar Festive-Winter Collection 2021How did your mother, well-known designer Ritu Kumar, help shape your perception of fashion? AK: For me, it was not so much about the perception of fashion – there was no formal approach but I grew up surrounded by her aesthetic. A lot of her work was research and revival-based, and I got a very early look at patterns and the legacy of textile design in the country. That is what shaped m ..read more

ISSUE: 136 Shambhavi Tiwari delights in creating hand-painted designs that are digitally translated onto fabric for use in a range of lifestyle products Illustration for Torani’s Instagram narrative ‘Chidiya ki Kahani’ hare your experience of working in industry. How did you decide to venture out on your own? ST: After graduating from NID, I did a short stint at a very reputed home furnishing export house. Though very grateful for the opportunity, I realised it was not something I wanted. I have always been very clear in my mind what I would like to do. I visualise things and then manifes ..read more

ISSUE: 132 Mrunalini Rao’s eponymous label offers clothing ranging from luxurious bridal wear that resembles works of art to a sustainable prêt line that is her contribution to reducing waste Vana Kaanthi LehengaHow do Indian crafts influence your designs? MR: I love Indian crafts and I want to explore as many as possible through my work. My love for Indian crafts increased while I was studying all the crafts across India during my years at design school, and that’s one reason why I like designing bridal wear. A majority of my design work is based on craftsmanship and we use many crafts t ..read more

ISSUE: 128 Pallavi Shantam’s Buna label celebrates an easier pace of design and creation What inspires your creations? PS: Buna takes its inspiration from nature, art and vintage fashion. Our esthetic is rooted in interrupted harmonies of form. Within the silhouettes, we capture evocative feelings of space with details veiled and hidden underlinings or at unexpected places. How do you market and distribute your products? PS: Our webstore has really worked for us. It has helped us to reach to a worldwide audience and sell directly to customers. We are selling our garments to over 30 countr ..read more

ISSUE: 143 Long fascinated by Indian fabric, Nikita Gupta has launched an attractive line of contemporary apparel in traditional block prints What is your design philosophy? NG: I pursued an undergraduate degree in Fashion Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. Being in a fashion school and studying amongst the top creative minds in the country gave me an insight into the glaring gap in the market in terms of block prints. My undergraduate degree helped me understand the construction and to an extent the design bit of things. This knowledge played an integral ..read more

ISSUE: 142 When Aditi & Divam Jain plunged into the already crowded space of women’s apparel, they were more intent on the journey than the destination Introduce us to the Fabnest brand philosophy. A&D: It’s pretty clear cut and simple. We work very hard to create comfortable all-occasion wear, silhouettes for everyone at affordable price points. We have reviewed Indian female body specs in detail along with various fits that other brands offer to come up with masterpieces. Our primary focus is to develop fusion/modern silhouettes using various crafts and fabrics. For example, we ..read more