Flowers of empowerment
Women from marginalized jhuggis, craft lace pearl flowers for Isha Jajodia’s ICW line, as she offers clay embroidery, metal corsets and lace applique for a quieter, more self-assured bride. By Asmita Aggarwal She is known for delicate laces, her outfit for the Cannes red carpet was a hit, the 1100 hours of handwork showcased India’s prowess in gossamer embroideries. It was an invitation by Caroline Scheufele, co-President and Artistic Director of Chopard, which Isha Jajodia initially ignored, but later took it as a challenge to put our country’s artisans on the world map. “I’m minimalistic, I wanted to keep lace as the hero, it was a technically heavy gown, styled with a pear-shaped diamond necklace by Chopard. From antique-inspired lacework, tulle, organza, applique, corsetry, and controlled volume it channelled my inner spirit,” she adds, admitting faux feathers added extra appeal. The idea was to depict softness and strength, opposing qualities a woman holds in her heart, as there are layers of responsibility she shoulders, showcasing the depth of her persona. We aren’t just talking about the affluent, but Isha really looked at those who are living on the fringes of society like Daya Bai from Moti Lal Nehru Jhuggi clusters. Daya, 34, works with the NGO Spread the smile, and has made beautiful hand done lace flowers, 100 of them for Isha’s sculpted gowns, “It took me four hours to make one, Isha’s didi’s team came and taught us,” she says, she got both paid and adulation for her hand work. Daya has two kids, daughter, 13, son, 9, she wants to educate them, girl doctor, as healthcare systems are not poor oriented, and the other a lawyer. “So many hardships I’ve faced, I don’t want my kids to suffer. I work in the NGO for two hours daily, I embroider, they are helping my kids. From education, school uniforms, books, shoes, they give us,” she explains. There are almost 100 women like her working in the basti, they make tissue boxes to thali covers. Along with her works Ratnesh, 38, who stays at the Shamshan Bhoomi jhuggi cluster, has two boys, aged 14 and 10, she doesn’t even have access to a toilet or clean water, she often has to stand in a line for basic necessities. “We come to the NGO, they give us work, we learn and make net flowers, cut, finish, embellish it with pearls. “I’ve been working here for the last 5 years, learning crochet, I’m from Uttar Pradesh, Etah where women do a long ghoonghat and are segregated from men,” she adds. “I feel fashion must also look at those who are invisible, thus the idea of the NGO came about,” adds Isha who admits she is not what she was in 2014 when she began. “We did denim with strong embellishment, but I fell in love with lace, especially those with European appeal, as they say then there was no looking back,” she explains. She was shocked to know that many brides, who handle heavy lehengas on their D-day, wear numbing cream so that they can’t feel the pain. Isha decided no can cans or anything big or unsettling for the bride. “Sheer, lace, fluid, soft embellishments became my language, multiple layers of lace. It’s a story told in tulle, minus any trends, ideal for a self-assured woman,” she adds. The palette is ivory, scarlet red, blush pinks and even though the belief is that sculpting isn’t for bigger women—Isha believes she gets 50 per cent women who are sumptuous. “It is tough to embroider lace as the hole is smaller. But this time, we have pushed ourselves—working with clay. It is paper light, we have crafted petals, florals in it as embellishment; surprise is also tweed with lace,” she adds. Metal corsets, with pearls, Chikankari in whispers of aqua, have been a challenge to source lace—Korea, China, Paris, Surat and Hong Kong, to this she adds Baroque influences, placing them as artworks.
In pursuit of happiness: Masaba
“Chadti Kala”, optimism in gloomy times, Masaba brings unabashed colour, bold Mughal zari motifs for a bride who has a sense of humour, can laugh at herself in a pineapple-shaped bustier. By Asmita Aggarwal She comes from an interesting mixed parentage- Punjabi mother Neena Gupta who grew up among the chaotic sounds and sights of old Delhi and West Indian (Caribbean) cricketer Vivian Richards. Thus, Masaba is unafraid to admit she loves to work with gold, as much as tourmalines— it exudes character, she believes. Masaba is not new to the spotlight, in 2021, she starred in Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s bridal campaign, even though she debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week in 2009, at the age of 19. There is a certain irreverence in her prints—Nandi bull, celestial motifs, Hamsa hand, which she considers a symbol of protection, old cameras, Tamil script to pineapples, even toffees. Her most popular foray has been beauty “Lovechild Masaba”, paying homage to her mom’s intrepid choices. Interestingly, ‘i’ in Lovechild is the red bindi from Saans, a 90s show by Neena Gupta. It was a revolutionary script talking about women empowerment. On the contrary there are also bold red dots that run through her entire offerings, or the Taj Mahal on bags, love is a recurring theme in her repertoire, but also looking at it rather playfully. She has had various experiments with fashion, whether it was handling Wendel Rodericks label or innovations with choli (Neena her mom also starred in the chart-topper “Choli ke peeche kya hai” with the inimitable Madhuri Dixit) or badla, peeta and nakshi. If you look closely, she has a distinct sense of humour with slogan tees “Thak gayi”, or monikers he gives her jewellery-‘Palm Panna’, ‘Kala Tikka’, ‘Two-Faced’ or ‘Icy Kinara’, the palm motif inspired by her mother who is a consistent inspiration, even in her Netflix series “Masaba Masaba”. Her patchwork lehengas to kalidar lehengas, imagery is rooted in humble street metaphors, much like Manish Arora’s label Fish Fry. This ICW finally we saw what the catwalk deserves-a model who paved the way for Indian fashion in the 90s- Madhu Sapre in unabashed flaming red. “The gloom in the world made me want to introduce happy colours for optimism,” says Masaba as she continues her love affair with crushed gotta mixed with military accents. Drama ensued with long, sweeping coats, big bags with Hamsa, a palm-shaped amulet for protection, power, and blessings, Arabic word meaning “five”, representing fingers of the hand. Stacked gold jewellery, mom Neena Gupta in full support, anklets worn over churidars, gossamer organza kurtas and ubiquitous dhotis. The ramp came with red rotating heads, with rose garlands, probably her most loved hue for brides, in some ways ceremonial, dressing in layered skirts, balloon pants with placement embroidery, lehengas with zardosi gilets. The irreverence stayed with pineapple and palm-shaped bustiers, harem pants showing up everywhere, mini bags fastened on waists, India’s jewelled map on black casual tees, beads hanging from sequinned tees, Mughal paintings as head bands paraded on Punjabi hit numbers Kala Shah Kala. The Punjabi suits are seeing a homecoming, as sindoor comes smeared on foreheads, bejewelled blouses, Surrealist embroidery, kaleras and Himachali caps getting an embroidered avatar with aari work and Masaba’s ultra bold motifs.
Emotion in aged couture is true luxury: Valaya
34 years later Valaya misses Bal and his effortless poetry, at ICW his embroideries are more textural than overtly decorative, silhouettes carry quieter confidence; bride should feel elegant, not exhausted with the weight of embroideries. By Asmita Aggarwal If you ask J J Valaya the one thing he misses about fashion today his immediate response is–Rohit Bal. “Rohit possessed one of the most instinctive artistic minds our industry has seen. There was effortless poetry to his work that couldn’t really be taught. I remember several conversations over the years where we’d laugh about the madness of putting together shows under impossible deadlines. Despite the pressures and inevitable rivalry that exists in fashion, there was always mutual respect. His absence has left a genuine void in Indian fashion,” says Valaya. The designer who completes his 34 th year in fashion this season has never shied away from expressing love for the East, Balkans and Ottoman empire to Silk Route. He attributes this to being a “Royal nomad” place where ideas, architecture, textiles and people constantly borrowed from one another. “I don’t travel looking for fashion. I travel looking for stories. Fashion simply becomes my way of retelling them,” he adds. The paisley is a recurring leitmotif in his repertoire, like signature Chevron, former is a rare motif that belongs to almost every civilisation that touched the East. It has history, movement and poetry within a single form. Chevron, on the other hand, represents structure, rhythm and geometry. One is organic; the other architectural. “Together they’ve almost become two languages through which I tell the Valaya story,” he explains. With each designer bringing his magic to couture it almost becomes an emotion, a feeling, nostalgia, also a mood. Couture for Valaya becomes part of life’s milestones … a wedding, an heirloom, a memory that travels across generations. Long after the fabric has aged, what remains is the emotion attached to it. “That, to me, is the true luxury,” he says. Valaya recently launched a line of bags, being an Army kid, he named one after his parents, he admits, he learnt discipline from his father, grace from mother. “My father taught me that excellence isn’t accidental; it’s built through consistency, there are no shortcuts to hard work. My mother showed me that kindness and dignity never go out of fashion, whilst exposing me to the art of embroidery through her teaching embroidery to soldiers’ wives at army welfare. Between the two, I probably learnt that talent may open doors, but character determines how long you remain inside,” he explains. Couture is made to last, repaired instead of discarded, preserved instead of consumed, garments often become heirlooms rather than seasonal purchases. Valaya has consciously explored upcycling and responsible craftsmanship, including collections like “The Living Loom”, where waste textiles were reimagined into couture or working closely with Tencel. “Moreover, sustainability isn’t only about materials. It’s also about creating something that deserves to exist for decades,” he adds. It is the era of intelligent luxury –it doesn’t shout or try too hard. It’s thoughtful in design, respectful of craftsmanship, timeless in appeal and relevant beyond trends. It understands quality, proportion, restraint and purpose. “When every detail has a reason to exist, that’s intelligent luxury,” he explains. Valaya’s first major show in India was in 1992, the year the label was born. Even then, he wasn’t interested in following trends. He was fascinated by India’s forgotten aristocratic elegance … its travellers, its royal houses, its layered history. The collection reflected that fascination through richly detailed garments, handcrafted textiles and a storytelling approach that would eventually become synonymous with the brand. “In hindsight, I wasn’t launching a collection. I was introducing a point of view…. My point of view,” he adds. In Tarun Tahiliani, Valaya admires his understanding of drape, construction and contemporary Indian occasion wear is exceptional. Anamika Khanna redefined Indian silhouettes with the kind of ease that she has. Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla are Masters of drama and scale. Their commitment to unapologetic opulence has created an unmistakable visual language. “Ritu Kumar is a true pioneer. She preserved and celebrated Indian textile traditions long before heritage became fashionable,” he adds. What’s interesting is the groom who is finally participating in fashion rather than merely accompanying the bride. He’s willing to experiment with colour, jewellery, layered dressing, textiles and embroidery without feeling constrained by old definitions of masculinity. “That’s incredibly liberating as a designer because you can now tell a richer story through menswear,” he says. In ICW 2026, for Valaya every collection begins with a story rather than a trend. This season, he has explored proportion, layering and surface treatment, colour palette has become more nuanced, the embroideries more textural than overtly decorative, and silhouettes carry a quieter confidence. “The intention wasn’t to become different for the sake of surprise. For me, it’s always about meaningful and gentle evolution without losing identity,” he adds. Indians are obsessed with embroidery as it became synonymous with value, it is often measured luxury by weight rather than design. “I think that’s changing. Today’s client increasingly appreciates cut, proportion, fabric, finishing and the story behind the craftsmanship … beyond embroidery alone. Embroidery remains beautiful… but only when it serves the garment rather than overwhelms it,” he adds. Interestingly, weight isn’t only about reducing embroidery. It’s about engineering. Valaya rethinks fabrics, foundations, construction techniques, embroidery placement and distribution of weight across the garment. “The objective is simple: a bride should feel elegant, not exhausted. If we’ve done our job well, she forgets she’s wearing couture,” he grins. The real Valaya is quiet, private. He is happiest with a camera in his hand, travelling somewhere unfamiliar, discovering history at antique and flea markets, or simply observing people and architecture whilst wandering and sipping coffees. “I don’t think I ever really stop being curious. Even when I’m not designing, I’m collecting ideas without realising it,” he confirms. His parting shot, “Separate the designer from the businessman. Many brilliant designers fail because the business fails … not
Welcome aboard glitter train
Falguni and Shane Peacock tell us your Punjabi suit can have a feathery dupatta, and harem salwar, as swans, Taj Mahal and camel safaris motifs frolic on sequinned lehengas; plus your denims can be worn with a zardozi encrusted jacket! By Asmita Aggarwal It is the first show in Delhi, for the India Couture Week 2026, it had to be larger-than-life, there is no one better than Falguni and Shane, the Peacocks to bring along some unadulterated glamour. The show began with a magnificent set resembling the Orient Express, legendary long-distance luxury train service created in 1883, to connect Paris with Istanbul—of course it was christened Peacock Express. The set a street in Paris, complete with tall street lights, which earned it the moniker, “City of Light”, in 1667 when King Louis XIV got tallow-candle lanterns installed. It mimicked an era in the 50s, replete with theatrics- as bell boys danced. The train set is not new, Sabyasachi Mukherjee had one too, ten years ago, where he debuted canvas lehengas. Where there are Peacocks, feathers can’t be far behind-there were flying everywhere- sequinned jackets, in midnight blue, mirror work peeking from inside roomy lehengas. Superman capes arrived too for drama, in sunshine yellow to deep maroons. The theme designers explained ranged from Byzantine mosaics of Rome, Belle Époque era of Moulin Rouge and Eiffel Tower in the early 18 th century, as well as Strasbourg cathedral known for its spire-like structures. In this mix were also the palaces of Bavaria and the white beauty -Taj Mahal. Empress gowns came with net trails, corsets with draped saris, blush pink gowns with slinky net trails with swans taking flight. Though the set was the highlight complete with velvet curtains, models walking inside it, dining, as engineered Jodhpuri style trousers fastened with FSP belts, came with smaller jacket lengths,. The soundtrack played from classic film- “Love Story”, 70s historic film, the bride is travelling to Paris for her wedding with vintage trunks, as sequinned belts cinched waists, and dupattas came pre-draped on lehengas. Listen … .here is the secret, Gen Z bride will cover her head but sequins and nets. Muddy browns for grooms and cobalt blue for brides, charcoal sherwanis with glittering sky burst shine, came armed with leather suitcases. Bonus: You don’t need precious jewellery with the FSP line, as you are on board the glitter train. Interestingly couture is getting simpler, lighter lehengas come with exaggerated pussy bow blouses in copper, which you can later team up with your jeans too. Denims had feathers too, as grooms sported jewelled brooches, fine Zardosi jackets. The Punjabi suit got a makeover—it is now worn with harem salwar, without abandoning the sequins, or the feathery dupatta as tiny ruby-esque stones worked as tassels caressing your back. It was an ode to monuments, camel safaris, emblazoned on lehengas- as FSP told us never leave shine behind even if you get hitched in the fashion capital of the world-La Paree!
“I want women to wear my couture with faded jeans,” says Anamika
From Barmer textiles to Kalighat‘s Pat Chitra Katha, folk art, Anamika Khanna says craft can be minus its ethnicity, as couture offers patchwork, hand painting to gold foiling at the “pearl in the sky” Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad. By Asmita Aggarwal It has turned into a favoured spot for designers—maybe it reeks of history going back in time, 1893, an ode to sheer luxe by Nawab Viqar-ul-Umra, Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad translates to “Like the Sky” in Urdu. Anamika Khanna believed it was perfect, as Delhi and Mumbai as venues were done enough. She thought of Jaipur Palace, with Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, but finally narrowed down on Falaknuma-maybe it’s the walnut roof, shaped majestically like a scorpion, that serenaded her. Hundred and eight craftswomen is a number that has been rotating in her head, artisans she wants to support, who indulge in intricacies of age-old techniques which have withstood the test of time. “I knew the importance of being financially independent being a woman, I observed a lot of craft is getting redundant. Artisans neither get money nor respect. I’m working with craft clusters dominated by women-mirror work to embroidery,” says Anamika. Couture is not about how you look in something but the feeling you get, richness of thought, “not perfect construction, hand craft,” she laughs, “if you ask me about my first show ever I will say I didn’t know anything, but one thing I can confirm is India is in my heart, and my experimentation is on for last 30 years. Craft is global, not Indian anymore. Fashion comes full circle for me as I take it out to a universal audience.” Honestly, she says, the mistake she has often made is overdoing it, making it into a wedding show, “couture is about precision, refinement and intricacy. I want women to wear couture with their faded jeans, on a daily basis, not relegated to just weddings,” she confirms, adding, you notice carefully, stacked oxidised jewellery or even precious jewellery she has designed this year, it is more about styling, minus ethnicity. “I love Tarun Tahiliani’s sensuous drapes, Abu-Sandeep’s embroideries that no one can do like them, or Gaurav Gupta no one can touch that space. When you show in Paris it takes the oxygen out of you, so hats off to them,” she giggles. If you look around so many Anamika copies floating in the market, it saddens her, “I don’t see creativity in people pushing the bar, social media in some ways is to blame. For me couture can have trends, it is not classic, it is heading in the experimental direction, where there are no rules of materiality.” On the other hand, is a young Vishesh, her son, returned from Central Saint Martins, two months ago, with an MA in fashion design; he is brimming with a new era for the label, admits, “it’s AK’s vision and aesthetics, I urge her to make couture minimal and digestible.” Vishesh on a Sunday morning is rushing with his mom, to the factory it’s a herculean task to get the show on the road. He shares some beautiful pictures on whatsapp (which disappear as soon as you open them: so you can’t take screenshots). “I learnt from CSM menswear is about construction, finish and wearability, reducing embellishments,” he says. Outside India couture is simpler, but Jains and Marwaris when they come, they feel “it’s not enough, they need more, feel royal, get value for money”. Fabio Piras, MA Fashion Course Director, Central Saint Martins, London, United Kingdom has trained Christopher Kane to Simone Rocha, “When I took pieces I designed to him, he told me it’s too old fashioned. He taught me a progressive way of thinking, and then AK’s way of doing things is a 360 degree turn—grandeur, embellishment,” he laughs, adding “AK is open to ideas”. He finds Demna Gvasalia extremely interesting in what he did with Balenciaga, quite a departure from Peter Piccioli Balenciaga, it wasn’t about volume or larger-than-life. The shapes were to make women feel strong, not delicate like Karl Lagerfeld and his women in gloves. “They would tell us if you want to make money, sell 100 pound tee shirts, go to LCF,” he chuckles, adding studying with bootstrapped struggling students was insightful. He learnt one idea in 6 different ways rather than 6 ideas in one collection, “let collection flow like music” he says. The world has changed since AK started, then her line was restricted to only 100 people watching now zillions judge her. “Mistakes are more pronounced. She has made Barmer textiles her own like the Kalighat temple paintings, in Patro chitra katha, from Kolkata,” he explains. The Meghwal community in Rajasthan that AK worked with is known for various types of embroidery—Ari embroidery to Mukke ka kaam is a type of raised and padded embroidery, creating a three-dimensional effect. AK is not going to go the Robert Wun way, big structures, it has to be her spirit in her line, just as “elegant, understated, that she is, that’s why the collection ‘Moonlight Kingdom’ is more vintage-y and old world,” he concludes.
Man, myth and lover: Rohit Bal
Whether it was winning Razzmatazz in Ghungroo back in the 80s, getting Chinar leaves from Kashmir for his show, saying “no” to Bhansali for Saawariya or his love for lotus, Rohit Bal was a trailblazer, Tasnim Fraze tells us why. By Asmita Aggarwal The first-time choreographer Aparna Bahl met Rohit Bal, she was 13, and used to admire him at the nightclub Ghungroo, as he won almost all the dance competitions. “He was the cool older person we all aspired to hang out with. I was a dancer too, I just couldn’t move the way he did on music,” she laughs, adding she began choreographing shows in the year 1995, this is her 31 st year. Soon they became friends, she was introduced to his nieces, by providence they discovered their maternal grandmas were friends/schoolmates in Kashmir. “For me, there are so many wow moments knowing Gudda, one thing stood out, the white moon playing hide and seek from SS 2015 grand finale at Quli Khan’s Tomb, Qutub Archaeological Park at his show. It resembled a period film,” she says, as big roses in hair and Angarakhas paraded down the lithe runway. Her first designer Rohit Bal was a dupatta fashioned into a dress, at 18, “maybe one day Meera, my daughter may like to wear it, I’ve kept it as a memory of him,” she echoes. Aparna and Bal connected emotionally with music, he used to love 70s-80s numbers, Indian, classical and Western, the pure artistry in him, made him a trail blazer. “He put men in skirts, in ‘Ayash’ line, 2002, and they looked handsome,” she confirms. It has been two years since Bal’s demise, people haven’t forgotten him, especially those who worked with him, like Ayaz Ul Haq, graphic head. Almost 22 years he stayed loyal to Bal, who made him part of the family, whether it was doing graphics for bedsheets, carpets to invitations and product designing. “Gudda loved lotus, peacock, grapes motif, tulips, ivory and gold leaf printing. He was a designer with enormous clarity of thought, he never sketched, or believed in illustrating, it was a straight dive into the process. We had a bond, unmitigable chemistry, Gudda never compromised on his aesthetics,” says Ayaz. There are many incidents that prove, he believed in himself-when Sanjay Leela Bhansali approached him, Bal sent sketches, the filmmaker wanted changes for Saawariya, the debut film of Ranbir Kapoor. “He rejected the movie, saying they must be accepted as is,” says Ayaz adding menswear does exceedingly well even though they don’t make bridal lehengas, it is a best seller. In his two-decade long career with the label, Ayaz saw many young designers being trained by Bal-Dhruv Vaish to Sahil Kocchar, they lefty, he never felt insecure but helped them establish their business, he always depended on himself. “I saw Christian Louboutin at his factory learning from him in the 90s, Bal was relaxed, he liked working from home, went to the factory only for a few hours,” he adds, and would come in at 4 pm with a huge tiffin box of Kashmiri home food, for everyone. He was never ambitious or wanted to make money, Aditya Birla and Reliance both approached him, he turned down their offer. “He would tell me, I want freedom, independence and no interference,” he says. Politics happenings troubled him, whether it was the Kisan Dharna or even today, Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike would have been a cause of concern for him. Every Thursday at the Sai Baba temple home food was delivered to those marginalized, “his charity was quiet.” Former-model-turned-choreographer Anu Ahuja knew him since she was 20-years-old, she walked for his first show in the 90s at the multi-designer store Glitterati, Kemps Corner, Mumbai. “He would tell me, ‘Anu I don’t have a design degree, I hope I am walking the right path’,” she remembers, her reply, “You are a man of fine taste.” She recalls he was the only designer who would come to cheer for others-like Sabyasachi Mukherjee when he showcased in the Capital, applauding him from the stands. “Gudda was a big, loving person, he never had an agenda, we adjusted to life’s vagaries, he stayed true to himself,” she recalls. Vidyun Singh, who studied international politics at JNU, after Economics from LSR, says, she used to run a show called “Avis Decade Parade” in the 80s, channelling the theme, “denim has survived every fashion cycle”, in the dance showcase at Ghungroo, the nightclub. “My friend Rohit Khosla, asked me to try a new boy, Bal, 20, who’s brother had an export factory, to create a line of denims for the show in the 80s,” she says, “the rest is history”. Jessical Lal and Gudda came to source sequinned leotards and bodysuits for the dance show from Vidyun, for Razzmatazz, dance show in the 80s, he won a bike, declared winner. When she met him, he was a student at St Stephen’s College, well read, knew about art, history, culture, the first show she vividly recalls for Ensemble, Mumbai, late 80s. “Though the first big one was at Taj Mansingh in 1991, where we incorporated trees in the background along with stilt walkers, flame throwers, jugglers and acrobats which many designers are doing now, so not a novelty,” she smiles. Her parting shot is perfect-Gudda loved Kashmir, it was in his heart and soul, he wanted to explore its beauty, “he got someone to get a sack full of autumn Chinar leaves for his show. I still have one pinned up on my board till today, it was his gift to me,” she says. He did a NIFT diploma course in 1986, Media Makers did all his shows starting with his debut in the multi designer Ensemble Show in 1990. The show at Priya Cinema where a cinema theatre was used as a venue, another first! The Omega – Rohit Bal circuit of Delhi, Mumbai and Paris in 2000, in Paris the showstopper was Anna Kournikova. “The
“I’m like a child with my Legos while designing,” says Aneeth
The grand finale designer Aneeth Arora takes us on a round trip from Swedish pottery Delft, Chinese porcelain to French textiles toile de Jouy at LFW. By Asmita Aggarwal It is “finally finale” Aneeth Arora grins as she enters the 16th year of her brand Pero, ready to dazzle us with her handmade with love wonders at the LFW X FDCI finale. The NID Ahmedabad alumni who studied at NIFT, knew at 18, she had to move out of Udaipur, her hometown and that adventure brought her to Delhi. Her innate sense of simplicity comes from her mother, who would stitch her dresses, and now works with her (factory) along with 60 in-house women artisans they support. “I’m in awe of these hard-working women-get up early, cook and clean for entire family, work with us, go home, then again feed their kids. Even then they are ready to do overtime. Just like my mom who comes home with me, then wants to make something nutritious for dinner,” she adds. Her brother who is “money man” in the family is the “mind” of the business, Aneeth calls herself the “heart”. There are no distractions in Aneeth’s life, there is intense focus, just like her Hello Kitty collaborations, make each piece labour consuming but edgy. “Growing up I never had many toys, I was always in my own world, got an occasional Barbie when I got good ranks. I learnt how to be open hearted like my mom, pour her love, it helped me through life, and specially living in a city as cut throat as Delhi,” she laughs. Recalling an interesting incident, she says, she was asked to sew buttons on her dad’s shirt, she resisted, little did she know that would be her life! Didn’t know she would do clothing, before like all girls, confused, she wrote exams, took coaching classes for architecture, fine arts, applying to NID to NIFT. “I didn’t clear the NID exam first time, studied textiles in NIFT. I do believe in the universe and its magic tremendously,” she affirms. In these 16 year-long journeys, she has learnt to be grateful, realized she can’t do this alone, she has thus built a strong team. “I was simple, had not studied business, observed no one was doing Jamdanis, started getting them specially woven, got many orders. Thought I was doing something right,” she adds. The same experience was with crochet, but clusters move at snail’s speed. She learnt how to deal with that too, now nothing fazes her. “We work six months in advance, this year the theme for LFW finale was blue and white, it was a seamless fit,” she says. She is showcasing a winter line as per the season, even though in India there isn’t a heavy winter. Her austere theme – being at office from 9 am to 5 pm and then looking forward to that freedom, “breaking free”! Basically the “out of office” feeling. “Imagine that emotion when you are writing an email to take seven days off, I’m trying to encapsulate that happiness,” she laughs. She designs clothes not just for working women, but as separates, something you can add to your existing wardrobe. “We had a 75-year-old client who still hasn’t lost the child within,” admits Aneeth. There are always add ons to all her styles, pom poms, tassels, to frills. The process is like a child who is sitting with her Legos on the floor, trying to build something new and exciting with the same blocks. Aditi Ranjan, her professor at NID, said to her, “don’t stop the creative exploration till you are satisfied, always begin from the simplest idea,” she remembers. This thought translates to her khadi with just red selvage, she often says, people must wonder how it is made. Never compromising on quality, “one artisan one piece philosophy” she channels. This LFW, she has done navy and white, it is a shift and surprise as she is known for her burst of colours and florals, in French textile toile de Jouy or “cloth from Jouy” (a little town near Versailles) an integral part of French history. It originated from Ireland, but Franco-German artisan Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf’s factory in Jouy-en-Josas, made it quintessentially French. “We have used references from Swedish pottery, 17th-18th century Dutch blue-and-white tin-glazed technique. There are references from Chinese porcelain too,” she explains. Pero is a handmade luxury product, it is slow fashion, time consuming, but she never ever wants to do Paris Fashion Week. “It is a 15-minute show. Can one see the detailing? We have been doing trade shows from season one, from Tranoi, French, White in Milan, Premium in Berlin. They love our ikkats, bandhinis and Patola,” she explains, adding she likes the one-on-one interaction rather than an impersonal showcasing. She has an enduring love affair with checks, NID exposed her to looms, the first pattern she ever made was checks. “It has endless possibilities, so many permutations and combinations can be achieved, it is also the simplest form of weaving,” she concludes.
Farming in Hajipur village to LFW with wool indigo denim
Farmer’s son Satendra Singh and Dilip Singh meet Anurag Gupta to showcase their experiments with indigo dyed wool in IIT Delhi paving way for jeans you can wear in winter, keep warm! By Asmita Aggarwal He is from a non-descript village, Hajipur, tehsil Saipau, Dholpur, on the MP-UP border, in Rajasthan, born to a farmer, his dreams were beyond the fields everyday he grew up watching. Satendra Singh’s school bag was hand sewn at home out of leftover Urea bags that came for crops nourishment, mom used to cut and stitch two handles on them, which went with his blue faded pants and rubber chappals. He decided to work on textiles, graduated from the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Jodhpur, and then from Bhilwara did his B Tech in textile chemistry. Cleared the entrance for IIT Delhi, to do his M Tech in textile engineering, little did he know his thesis would take him to LFW X FDCI runway. Can we make denim in wool for colder climates? You can’t wear denim in winter, is there an alternative for it? These were the questions that were swirling in his mind, when he began working with Prof B S Butola, Department of Textile and Fibre engineering, who told him to try indigo dyeing wool, it took two years to perfect this project! “The fabulous part about IIT is it gives you money for research, the challenge was to make denim in wool, machine washable at home,” he says. The product was handloom, wool Merino from Australia, so he decided to show the prototype to Levi’s. They loved it, and saw potential. Indigotex Private Limited, his company, is an IIT Delhi–originated startup, focused on R&D in innovative, sustainable textiles, protective textiles, and waterless technologies to reduce water consumption in textile industry. The company’s first product, IndiWool™️ Denim, is a wool-based, all-weather denim fabric that is machine washable. “Indigotex is developing ECOTEX wool and wool-blended machine-washable fabrics and indigenous lightweight breathable extreme-cold textile solutions (up to −30 °C) for the Indian Army which till now is wearing imported fabrics, in Siachen,” he says. They are funded by FITT-IIT Delhi, SIDBI and Ministry of Textiles. His trip to Bharat Tex he recalls a funny incident, with just his bag, after office, carrying samples, he knew nobody, “any foreigner going into a denim stall I followed and showed them my work, came back to IIT as I had no money.” Indian wool is underutilized as it’s too coarse, almost 70 per cent goes waste, farmers burn it, he says. In his village farming is only 4-5 months, rest of the time no work, in Dholpur, there’s no industry, unemployment, poverty, his idea was to start wool indigo industry there-with his company Indigotex. Designer Anurag Gupta decided to work with new materials like wool denim, for LFW, though his journey began from a village Biskohar, Ayodhya, in 2018, he knew it was going to be experimental. “Covid changed me. I decided I won’t work with craft but do something out-of-the-box,” he adds. In fashion they shy away from innovation, want to play safe as long as it is lucrative, he feels. He started working with knits, when most knitting units were shutting down, no work for them, exports affected due to high tariffs. “Knits are not considered a craft, but I decided to make knits in jacquards—overturned bird eye, ribbed, tuck, which no one wanted to do in small quantities, somehow I convinced them,” says Anurag. His signature though has been deconstruction, adding textures, subverting the template, cutting, slashing, which he says, “wasn’t accepted by clients, it was tough to survive for me. My themes too were unique-manual scavengers which no fashion journalist wanted to write about.” The wool experiment with Satender Singh, makes it softer and the roughness goes out, less water consumption, in more ways than one it is sustainable, also this wool after washing doesn’t shrink. “The surface is smooth and wearable and doesn’t feel itchy! Satendra Singh and Dilip Singh’s collaboration was a eureka moment for me,” he adds. Inspired by 18th century Japanese painter Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Anurag liked his landscapes, women, Kabuki actors, cats, and mythical animals, especially Samurais, seaside islands to dragons. “Fashion magazines make me feel like an outsider, also I’m not a people pleaser, rich privileged kids get more easy coverage as they are in the party gang, we know jugaad, started from scratch,” he laughs. He signs of by saying he wanted to show a film he made on pollution, a video as a brand, how it is affecting human life.
Life comes a full ‘Crcle’ for Varshne
From upcycling leather to using stainless steel as handles for bags, Varshne, the CDC winner with her label Crcle, is telling us being modern is valuing our textiles. By Asmita Aggarwal Born and raised in Chennai, her graduation project in 2020 at NIFT (fashion design) mirrored the most potent fabric that has been adopted by the West like never before-Madras checks. Varshne wanted to depict it in a contemporary way, made a jacket not inside out or reversible but upside down, on the back was Chennai emblazoned and when you flip it you see Madras—it was an ambigram. “Lots of things inspired me, how the colour bleeds in Madras checks, as it is naturally dyed, gives a new look to the fabric every time, ideal for Chennai weather,” says Varshne, who showcased her eco-label Crcle, at the LFW X FDCI titled “Dialogue”. South where she grew up was all about Kanjeevaram saris, bright hues, but as a kid she was all about baggy jeans and oversized shirts, complete opposite-a study in contrasts. Varshne or “rain” in Sanskrit launched her label in 2024, wanted Crcle “to close the loop”. The arts she imbibed growing up -Bharatnatyam, to hip hop, free style dancing, as well as being an avid athlete, long jump to marathons, instilled discipline and an understanding of conviction. Thus “Dialogue” her collection was a conversation between—those wearing it, making it and the material. “It is about emotion transfer, how human beings connect with the garment, making them hold on to it forever,” says the Circular Design Challenge winner. Using crochet (hand done by a cluster in Pondicherry), hand embroidery, with various shades of madder to indigo, making textiles with vegan wool, using korai grass (cultivated along the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu) which is traditionally used for mats in Chennai, she crafted bags with stainless steel handles. These can again be recycled and bonus: steel never loses its luster. “The beauty of crochet is you can completely unravel it, starting from the beginning, it becomes a fabric again. It offers endless possibilities,” she smiles. Another initiative she embarked upon was collecting waste leather from factories, who generally discard it, and are reluctant to hand it over. It was a challenge to convince them to give it to her, they couldn’t understand why she would even accept such small quantities. She segregated it colour wise, made bags out of it, giving them a new life. “My brand is menswear, but I look at it as unisex, anyone can wear it,” she admits, offering elevated essentials.
Caught in a “mesh”
From unabashedly loving colour, paying tribute to Japanese flowers, to engineering her own mesh-like fabric for LFW, Aisha Rao, hopes to go “green” by being mindful. By Asmita Aggarwal If you ever see Aisha Rao’s Hyderabad home, you will know how her upcycled philosophy reflects there too! The terrazzo tiles, almost 12 to 13 different colours have been used in the dining area, they were lying waste. She decided to break them down, add vibrancy all over the place, where she enjoys meals with her family. After all it was a monumental effort, took four years to build, she feels a sense of despondency when you ask if sustainability in bridal wear can be ever possible? Brides who are generally eco-conscious also don’t want to channel this “green” sentiment on their big day—”there is a general apathy, I feel if you are really green it must reflect in your daily grind,” she clarifies adding you must be mindful of everything from leaving lights on, to indiscriminate use to air conditioning, or choosing to take out the car for small distances. Her style for LFW is predominantly pret, Indian modern style, funky shararas, co-ords, dressy (you can wear on destination weddings) in wearable silhouettes, she decided she will make her own fabric rather than sourcing from China/Korea. “After R and D we made a mesh-like fabric—using badla, Resham, cotton threads– jaal was engineered,” she adds, saying it was a laborious time-consuming process using water soluble paper. The collection is titled “Inter-Hana”, “Hana” refers to in Japan, appreciating seasonal beauty, flowers — rebirth and renewal of spring, et al. Inter translates to in between seasons, also interwoven (like Interlaken in Switzerland ‘in between lakes’). For her sustainability is not just about crafts, and artisans, but also how well you treat and pay your workers, at the grassroot level, giving them PF to ESR. She has also taken the first step towards setting up an ETP effluent treatment plant in her factory, along with getting solar equipped, moving to an industrial zone. “We wanted product level self-reliance, didn’t want to import, you can see what is happening geo-politically, we try to source domestically,” she adds. Interestingly her bestselling lehenga “Dreamlight” has an engaging soulful story behind it, it may be wild at heart, using an avalanche of sequins, beads, bugle beads, nakshi to poth, but the beauty is all the things that fall down, during reversing is not thrown away, but washed, cleaned, and reused. “I’m not saying I am zero waste, but re-embellishment can save waste, lessen carbon footprint. We buy a Tesla, not because it is electric, but it is also a beautiful looking car, with great design,” she smiles. The difference between Hyderabad and Delhi even though they both love bling is people here care about quality, willing to pay any price for it; even men are opening to colour albeit slowly. “I love the exuberance hues offer, it’s my signature I can never get enough of it. But having said that we down South always celebrate our culture. Rashmika from Coorg, draped saris in Telugu way, Vijay wore a dhoti, with an elastic on top. If you see my home, it’s a riot of conflicting and contrasting shades, just like my wardrobe, not grey or beige,” she laughs. Though she believes your environment influences you, even the way you think, her husband has also attempted to adopt tonality abandoning blacks, “it is a good stimulation” she laughs. Crafts are always on her mind—raffia interwoven in mesh, dori techniques, macrame approach, offering a crochet look, not French, but an Indian undertone is done in-house. Influencer Juhi Patel VMA look with those swinging tassels- hand-embroidered with beads, sequins, crystals, and layers of fine thread work was a winner. “It took 900 hours to make this gown, almost 1,500 tassels, hand-knotted individually along with embroidery with over 70 shades of thread,” concludes Aisha.