Ankita Kayal began experimenting with Indian textiles and tried to “make a more minimal and modern take on what already exists,” achieving a concoction of contemporary and functional pieces in one’s wardrobe. The use of organic silhouettes with muted colour palettes, creates a space for functionality and comfort. 

The history of Indian textiles has been categorised as natural and organic, so it was important for Kayal to incorporate this into her brand while she worked with naturally-dyed, handspun fabrics at Paher. Her initiative took her to a women’s co-operative in Shimoga, Karnataka, where she learnt the inner workings behind slow fashion and sourced the fabric to build her first collection.

For the second collection, the fabric was made from scratch. The creative team went to Phulia, West Bengal, to a village full of skilled jamdani artisans. They learnt from and collaborated with the craftsmen, taking them onboard for their project.

Apart from West Bengal and Karnataka, Paher has combed through the lands of Kutch, sourcing kala cotton, and Bhopal, for the shibori work—experimenting through the diverse crafts of India.

Although the studio is based in Bangalore, the production takes place across the clusters of the country, improvising on traditional motifs and designs. “These artisans have been working for generations. They are now trying to work with newer designers and wanting to expand their skill set or aesthetics, in terms of what the modern market wants,” says Kayal. 

Paher strongly focuses on the element of conscious clothing: not just in production, but also in consumption. “Paher’s pieces are things that you can wear throughout the day very comfortably. That, say, five years from now if I pull it out of my wardrobe, I can still wear it,” Kayal says.