Born in the ’Land of Kings’, Rajasthan, designer Naina Jain was a dreamer and wanted to carve a niche for herself. Her self-taught skill of pattern making and draping and endeavour to achieve the synthesis of popular and avant-garde aesthetics. 

Thus, began Naina’s journey to fame, successfully delivering bespoke designs to Indian Market for the past 20 years. She found inspiration in her roots and strives to infuse classic traditional charm in her designs. Her design aesthetic combines fashionable with organic details, and stands true to her commitment to revive, sustain and empower the Indian forms of art and textiles, thereby demonstrating a brand with a conscience.

She made a promising entry in the Indian fashion scene around the year 1997, when she held a triumphant exhibition of Bandhej Sarees at Genesis Art Gallery, Kolkata. The designer started off with a tiny room, beneath her house and set out to build a brand, ‘Bandhej’. The brand consistently flourished and Naina forayed into embroidered garments, which was met with rave reviews from her existing customers, friends and family.

The requirement to rechristen the brand was considered and brand, ‘Naina Jain’ was born. For Naina Jain, design is all about how the fabric speaks to her, what inspires her, and how the custom-made ever-changing pieces take shape. Naina Jain curated timeless piece with the use of fine Indian fabrics and the country’s most talented craftspeople; she has sought to redefine age-old Indian traditions in the contemporary era, creating a style that is both rich in Indian aesthetics and modern sophistication.

With clients ranging from 20 to 80 years,Naina believes that an amazing sense of style doesn’t have an expiration date and isn’t reserved for a particular age, whereas it is that oozes the glamour, sophistication and decadence of the golden age of fashion. Each piece undergoes couture craftsmanship and experienced hand finishing until it arrives at an elegant perfection, says Naina Jain.

Naina Jain specialises in ‘Bandhani’, the art technique of ‘tie and dye’. Inspired and mastered by skilled craftsmen of Gujarat and Rajasthan, her handcrafted creations are coveted timeless pieces. The label creates a diverse range of sarees, kurtas, skirts, and gowns, giving the age-old bandhani craftsmanship, a modern twist- guided by a mix of classic luxury and urban chic fused with paradoxical textiles and shapes. The designer encompasses the very best of Indian tradition,

culture and art, with specially designed range of Paithani Style Benarasi and Bandhani, Hand-embroidered Lucknowi and Bandhani and also experimenting with various embroideries like Zardozi and Gotta Patti.

From curating a successful exhibition in Dubai, named Aaraish to retailing from the best designer stores in India, like Ogaan in New Delhi, Elahe in Hyderabad, Aza in Mumbai; she draws inspiration from a variety of sources to create the perfect look. The label uses vibrant colours and ornate fabric, adding dimension to the label like no other. Over the course of the last decade and a half, her design have graced the Bollywood circle as well, some of them include Lara Dutta, Laxmi Manchu, Anuradha Paudwal and Mahima Chaudhury.

Everyone thinks of being a doctor, an engineer or businessmen but there are very less people who dare to pursue their passion, one such is Anurag Gupta, who fought against all the odds and followed his amateur interest and became successful fashion designer.

A graduate from NIIFT Mohali India in 2012, he started his career working with Manish Arora and then with Varun Bahl as a senior Designer.  Having five years of experience in the industry, Anurag Gupta decided to launch his label Anurag Gupta in 2017, with the USP to illuminate in dark without using any chemicals on the product. The brand promotes the concept of ‘Make in India ‘, the fabric is made in India, all the embroidery is done by hand no machines used, infact all the co-designers and artisans are Indians even the buttons used are handmade.

He further launched his A/W18 collection at Lakme Fashion Week in Gen Next category leaving behind competitors. Being a guy, it was quite difficult for me to choose Fashion Designing as my profession but as said determination and hard work always pays off. Lakme fashion week gave me a big break in terms of collection showcase, says Anurag Gupta.

Label Anurag Gupta stands apart from various other designers’ collections as all the attires are made of Khadi and no other fabric is used. Instead, artistic approach and existence of signature style is most important for the brand although all the products are detailed experimental but aesthetically strong and wearable at the same time, the brand depicts power of clothing and transformative quality, he adds further.

Realistic, political, controversial and discerningly philosophical are four character traits in modern design that Miloni Vora most identifies with. Brought up in a household of textile merchants; appreciation for artisans and tradition has been a deep-rooted love affair for designer.

A recent graduate of Parsons School of Design, Vora focuses on materiality and innovative fabrics. She incorporates traditional artisanal techniques Aari, Bandhini and Kantha, to enhance the quality, durability and feel of her textiles. Time consuming, intricate yet easy, Vora’s textiles correspond to her silhouette.

Her panache to keeping traditional Indian roots breathing is well depicted in her designs as she launches first collection. Vora, in her latest collection has drawn inspiration from the traditional textile techniques that are found in her parent’s native village in Gujarat alongside time spent in urban cities like London, Paris and New York. Vora’s designs marry tradition with modernity and has beautifully blended them with contemporary silhouettes.

Envisioning the modern women as both whimsical and practical, the surface treatment is understated yet thoughtful. Subtle use of pastels, sheers and grays dominate much of the color palette. The textiles themselves are a melting pot of indigenous techniques.

The central tenants of her design philosophy lie in understanding the timeliness of craft and considering the collective implications of the market on the way our arts and crafts sustain. Sensitive to the past and reflective of the future her collection incorporates a subtle balance between organic motifs and structured silhouettes.

Vora endeavors to modernize traditional classic womenswear by combining innovative techniques like laser cutting and etching with traditional artisanal techniques. The usage of recycled wool, organic cottons and raw silks further enhances the image of the urbane conscious consumer. Through her designs, she brings consumers chic, urbane, and accessible designs adorned with quirky motifs, seamless lines, and effortless contours.

Despite their precarious nature, crafts still survive as they represent their maker’s identity and culture. It is this very authenticity that Miloni thrives to preserve. Crafts are the vehicles of our cultural identity, passed on from generation to generation and the means of livelihood for numerous artisan communities, says the designer.

Vora continues to build on her understanding of the intricately connected world we inhabit. Using modern technology, mainstream market experience, and a vision for a more appreciative and conscious world, ‘Miloni Vora’ is the emerging collaborative energy. If you have never witnessed a melting pot of indigenous designs, you need to see Vora’s textile designs, it is said.

“I was a non-binary Child and realised it as a non-binary Adult”

In middle school during a fancy-dress competition under the asbestos sheet i waited for my turn behind the stage sitting in a fairy silk gown so I can finish my dialogue and get out of the heat.

During my long wait, the teacher asked me to shut my legs and sit lady like. I remember taking a dump the next morning and having a thought if my teacher had western toilet and no idea of this position.

I waited to finish school so I could avoid the binary uniform, After the miserable failure in school I pursued art,Fashion was never my thing I wanted to be a film maker and that’s all. I needed something to cover my body alongside, that was that but when I learnt Frida in art school I fell in love with her mush.

Yes! fashion wasrather an expression than an act of hiding. I never felt more beautifully handsome to cover my body in a certain FASHION after Frida’s mush tattooed in my head.
There are interesting events that lead to love for fashion apart from being a film maker and an artist. All the events are “middle class” tinted.

-The lady bird cycle I had in high school, I welded my dad’s old royal Enfield mirrors on both sides of the handle but I never wanted a bullet or anything that I couldn’t handle.
-I painted the “lady” shoes with art history text of various colours on it but never could want to wear “men” shoes really.

During a research, I had to wear the dupatta to enter a temple and stand in the uniformed queue of deities each one with their own research. So, uniform was a human measurement with various intentions in a god-fearing world, but it wasn’t possibly an expression. It was an act to hide your body, with 2 rigid gender classifications.

Unlike the non-binary struggles of being non-binary kid and teenager, finally at 31 being a non-binary adult today is becoming a reachable idea, with social media connecting to people like Arie, there is more hope for fashion, beauty and beholder’s perception to evolve…

Hence Mustache under my nose ring- to expanding boundaries of beauty!! A gender-neutral fashion, design and beauty initiative by Bengaluru based non-binary filmmaker Shailaja Padindala & Chennai fashion designer Purushu Arie, one of India’s known men’s fashion blogger.

The crux of this initiative is to break stereotypes about how beauty is defined and expectations are set for women and men. The absence of body hair for women (especially facial and armpit hair) and the presence of the very same to be a man (moustache as a sign of manliness) are cultural boundaries that aim to constrict the idea of gender and beauty.

Clothes and even skin tone and mannerisms are other artificial boundaries culturally and socially perpetrated and habituated as the norm. It is a movement to address the evolving form of feminine and masculine beauty and how it meets the eye of the beholder.

Pamela Easton is the founding partner and designer of one of Australia’s most established and successful labels – Easton Pearson.

Drawing on acclaimed design and success and inspired by her collaborations with many artisans in different parts of the country for the last twenty-seven years, has created Easton Anaphora, an exciting new label especially for India.

Made in India for India infused with the history of past practice and design. We believe in slow fashion not fast fashion, says the designer. We create special pieces you will keep and treasure and want to wear years later. Our aim is to show the very best of the many craft and artisanal skills practiced throughout India today in a way that makes it modern luxury. It’s in our DNA to laugh, to share, to make new friends, so always we will make clothes to make you feel happy.

Pamela Easton vividly remembers the time she first visited India 25 years ago. She not only took back memories that have stayed with her forever but also her love for Indian craft. “I stayed in Mumbai with my friend Sudha Patel and later spent time at the Shrujan complex outside Bhuj in Gujarat. It was a life-changing experience,” Australia-based Easton recalls.

While Easton Anaphora will carry forward some of the aesthetic and ethos that has made Easton Pearson so loved and internationally applauded. The Easton Anaphora brand will focus on artisanal embellishment, experimental construction techniques, bold use of pattern and colour, and a strong preference for pure natural fabrics.

Going back to times, Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson started their label to showcase a love of craft and design in the year 1988. Ironically, after initial impetus they closed Easton Pearson after 27 years.In an increasingly fast-paced fashion industry, which has seen the label increase its yearly ¬collections from two to six a year in keeping with the global standard, the pair decided to step back and return to their ¬design roots in the year 2016.

However, having won recognition across the world, the label was earlier being sold through influential stores, whereas it’s available at Melange in India.

Italian designer Marta Santambrogio, the creative director of Shingora’s luxury division, says that there was whole lot of research involving India goes behind making the brand’s latest line of shawls, scarves and stoles.

Recently the designer has launched a series of India inspired exclusive luxury scarves- Shingora Loves India. First in the series is The Jantar Mantar & Elephant print that has been painstakingly put together to pay designers tribute to India and its culture.

Marta has a strong background in Italian luxury industry and is an expert in textile design. Her works range from creative direction to artwork, research to technical and industrial support. Marta has previously worked at Etro, with that legacy behind, she is here to enhance and complement her design aesthetics to the emerging design house of Shingora.

Founder of Issimum Design Studio London, which provides a range of services, spanning from Branding to Colour, from Design Strategy to Future Trends Research. With a strong background in Italian luxury industry, the studio’s main strength is textile design consultancy: form creative direction to artwork, research to technical and industrial support, for clients worldwide.

In 2015 Marta presented FUZZY LOGIC, her final graduation project at Central Saint Martins MA Material Futures. Fuzzy Logic explores how Indian traffic could become a musical experience. The project was featured on international press and showcased at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and Milan Design Week.

Marta Santambrogio is also Lecturer at Design University Politecnico di Milano.

Educated at the Kazuko Araki School of Design, Japan and a gemologist from IGI, New Delhi, Pooja’s designs are elegant and classy, where each piece tells a story and has an inspiration of its own.  Pooja is the first generation Entrepreneur and Jewelry Designer who realized her interest after completing her masters in marketing.

Pooja’s designs are based on bio mimicry, taking inspiration from Gods immaculate genesis to produce adornments of the very Special kind for her discerning patrons. Her Jewelry fills the charm between traditional Indian & modern stylish jewelry. The collection is an eclectic mix of traditional Indian motifs and western design sensibility.

After completing her formal education from Japan, Pooja credits her soaring success to her passion for perfection, she is one of the four members of the Prestigious all India panel of designers for MMTC and is also a visiting faculty and jury at NIFT.

In 2012 she was honored with the “Entrepreneurship Award” by Sh Jyotiraditya Scindia, then state Minister of Commerce for her work and contribution to the field of jewelry. In 2013 she participated in IIJW which was a great show.

Pooja holds private solo collection launch exhibitions twice a year to display her flamboyant and undying effervescent style and bling which can be passed down generations and along with it some heart touching memories.

Indrani Royan , young and aspiring ‘Gen-Next’ designer, is a Graduate from Pearl Academy, New Delhi, Indrani started her career assisting some of the leading designers in the industry and went on to work with renowned export houses.

Her brand RANIPINK STUDIO is the focus of her inspirations which stems from her roots in North-East India. Indrani’s expertise lies in exhibiting contemporary and traditional designs with her unique touch.

Started in the year 2013, the name ‘RANIPINK STUDIO’ aka ‘Rani Pink’ was coined, keeping in mind, the designers affinity for various shades of the color PINK. Her Designs are unique in the way she combines the ancient traditions of Indian craftsmanship in a contemporary way.

Indrani’s penchants for extraordinary and vivid colors, intricate embroideries and fabrics keep her motivated to constantly innovate. While she uses various textures of fabrics and mostly prefers silks. Experimentation with traditional designs and Styles using modern techniques is Indrani’s Mantra.

He believes in creating a timeless style that derives from the essence of people. Shreejith Jeevan is a textile graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and the Ecole Nationale Superieure Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris. His sole aim is to make this a memorable voyage- working with craftsmen to co-create unique products that he claims is functional fashion. He has worked with renowned designer Rajesh Pratap Singh.

He launched his label “Rouka”.  Meaning ‘bodice’ in Malayalam and ‘corridor’ in Japanese, the brand stands for the modern eclectic woman. In the mind of ROUKA’s women, tradition does not just reside in old trunks, she lives it up to the times. Being well dressed, defines her. Rouka believes that dressing up has to be as much fun as wearing it.

Shreejith has been showcasing his collection at Lakme Fashion Week and at many other exhibitions. He has also won Best Fashion Film at Lakme Fashion Week 2014. His designs have been graced by actress like Athiya Shetty and celebrities like Tillotama Shome.

His designs are currently retailing from his design studio at Ravipuram Road, Valanjambalam in Kochi.

You can get ‘Shreejith Jeevan’ at:-

www.rouka.in

Sister duo Tina and Nikita Sutradhar were born and brought up in Mumbai. After completing her graduation in Mumbai, Tina went on to do a short course in Fashion marketing at London College of Fashion in 2009. Nikita did a diploma in Fashion design in Mumbai and later in 2010, joined her sister Tina to study a Degree in Pattern Cutting, progressing onto a BA (Hons) Womenswear, at London College of Fashion.

Tina and Nikita have won many accolades Fashion Innovation Award at London College of fashion in 2013 and the ISKOTM Denim Diffusion Award in 2013. They were Semi- Finalists of the H&M Design Awards 2014 and were awarded with the Special Jury Prize at the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers 2014.

In 2012, the designers launched their label ‘Miuniku’. The brand name comes from the nick names given to the designers by their parents Tina – Miu and Nikita – Niku. The overall brand aesthetic is a balance between clean lines and graphic details, mixing minimal and maximal elements.

The designers showcased their collection at Paris Fashion Week, Lakme Fashion Week winter festive 2015 and many other big platforms of fashion. Their designs have been adorned by celebrities like Poorna Jagannathan and Zendaya coleman to name a few.

Tina and Nikita’s designs are currently retailing from Opening Ceremony in New York and Los Angeles, 10 Corso Como and Excelsior in Milan, Monopolist, Liger and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, My Boon In Seoul Korea, 10 Corso Como in Beijing and Grapevine by K3 in Japan.

You can get ‘Tina and Nikita’ at:-

www.miuniku.com