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In this interview, we hoist ourselves on a time machine and travel ten years forwards. Why ten years? Why not two, three or seven? In a world, where we’ve turned time into a ladder to climb, the “ten-year question” is an important denominator. At Khara Kapas, we

 

 

invert this notion on its head,

inviting time to play with us, instead.

 

A now teenage Khara Kapas, sits across the table from her founder Shilpi Yadav, to find out more about the woman who created her. She pesters Shilpi to pinpoint one quality that makes Khara Kapas unique while discovering a spectrum of ideas that gave birth to her.

 

Q1. Khara Kapas (KK): What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity is when you don't polish your school shoes. It is a form of self-expression, a place where there are no rules, rights or wrongs. When you stay close to your heart, you find a way of expressing your emotions through a medium and that is creativity.

 

Q2. Khara Kapas (KK): You’ve said in many places that it was your passion to create that lead you to envision Khara Kapas. What was it that you wanted to create in Khara Kapas?

I had no target or plan for Khara Kapas. What I did possess was a passion for creating and designing. I stayed true to my heart and my natural design instinct. I began by designing for my personal wardrobe and recycled the pieces I made to create distinct looks. I did not look into the future with trends and forecasting for that never went down well with me.

I prefer to opt for the comfort of now, the joys to celebrate in every moment and the practicalities and needs of one's circumstances. Cotton has always been a staple with me for its endurance and breathability.

It was this confidence and passion that led me to take my art beyond my wardrobe and start a clothing label that was an extension of the style of my person.

 

Q3. Khara Kapas (KK): What does femininity mean to you?

Femininity for me is the freedom to make your own decisions and to have your own say in whatever one does in life. It is the confidence that comes from the freedom of one's own decisions.

 

Q4. Khara Kapas (KK): Is femininity bound to creativity? How does this translate to design?

It’s everything I stated above. When there is freedom to make one's own decision, to set one's own rules and carve one's own path, then you stay true to yourself and your heart. This faith sets the sparks to creativity.

 

Q5. Khara Kapas (KK): You’ve said before that small weavers are the cornerstone of Indian art heritage. How do you feel the purity of Indian textile art can meet modernity in the Indian context?

What is modernity? It’s a state of mind. India is known for its rich heritage and textile art. It is what we are known for. And we are now bringing it to the forefront because we want to stay true to ourselves. This is our state of mind, where we want to go back to the beginning and that is modernity.

For example, at Kharakapas we have always focused on going back to the basics, to the simplicity of Indian design language. We work with the best artists and fabric to create a narrative for timeless fashion. I enjoy focusing on my roots, the things I have seen and felt while growing up and representing these visions and memories through my designs.

Q6. Khara Kapas (KK): I’ve always dressed in cotton since I was little and I love it. I know that you love cotton yourself and that one of your earliest memories is that of raiding your mother’s closet for her mulmul. Is the magic of cotton in memory alone? What makes it so special?

Cotton comes to my mind when I think of comfort and it is a fabric that I have known of since I was a little kid. Whether it was the school uniform that we wore as kids or those cute little jumpsuits my mom would stitch at home for us, they were all in cotton. Indian summers are harsh and there is no other fabric that is a better fit. It is pure, it is simple and will remain relevant for its practicality. Cotton has stayed with me all through and for me, fashion is about the right combination of creativity, personal style and comfort.

 

Q7. Khara Kapas (KK): What does fair trade mean? How can we know we’ve played fair?

At Kharakapas we have resolved to work with Indian crafts and the handloom industry. We try to do our part by promoting fair trade and attempt to preserve India’s ancient crafts and honour them through our work. We promote greater equity in our trading partnerships through dialogue, transparency, and respect for those we work with. We build long-term mutually beneficial working relationships with our vendors. We see a very positive trend with a desire in people to support this kind of practice.

 

Q8. Khara Kapas (KK): How do you define freedom?

For me, it is the ability to make one’s own decision.

 

Q9. Khara Kapas (KK): What does confidence mean to you? Is self-doubt a bad thing?

Doubt is never a bad thing. In my understanding we all question our own decisions, it keeps us on track and stops us from making a decision that we regret later. It’s good to be one's, own critic.

 

Q10. Khara Kapas (KK): What does it mean to be successful?

I do not know what success is, I can't define it. I feel blessed and happy that I was able to pursue my dreams and envision my thoughts. I am at a happy place in life with kharakapas by my side and that state of peace and satisfaction is a success. It is the freedom to choose and carve my own path.

 

Q12. What is your favourite place to live in?

My favourite place is where my home is with my precious, loved ones.

 

 

Collaborative arts are the weaving of a story by many hands and a story is incomplete without an audience. Clothing labels are not alien to this process. They are an amalgamation of the efforts of many creative people: weavers, dyers, embroiderers, tailors, the designer and very dear clients without whom these labels may never be understood. When understood this way, clothing labels are an empowering commons and not exclusive of others.

So then, how do we define a label or is a definition even possible in a collaborative artform? One way to do this is to understand the label as a mirror to the many people who are at its core- the people who design, the people who make and execute and the people who identify themselves with a label through consumption. We sat down to attempt our very first portrait of Khara Kapas and girl, are we excited! For she is beautiful in our conversations with Atamjyot and Madhushree!

We find that Khara Kapas is a girl who loves to lounge,
Homecomings are sweet to her for home is where she can be herself.
When at home, little things count.
Conversations at the dining table, breakfast hangouts, unwinding with friends and family, and bedtime tales are some occasions where she sets her roots and feels deeply connected and grounded.

When not at home, she is always making her way back home,
evolving a new definition for what home can mean.
Home can be found in the conversations of travellers in airport lounges, busy book sales and bazaars at crowded street corners. She has learnt that home is also on the road, even one filled with potholes. Movement is just as crucial to Khara Kapas, as is rooting for home and she has a special place in the day for thoughts of flight landings and broken glass ceilings.

Khara Kapas loves the hills as much as she loves the tumult of city life.
The hills are home to her but also, curiously a place of magic and escapades.
And the city a spot to write about her many homes.
She finds thrill in the monotony of undulating mountain landscapes and rows of apple trees. Equally, is she centred in the tumultuous city.

When rummaging through her own wardrobe, Khara Kapas is happy with something comfortable to wear and flow in. This is her understanding of fashion. Fashion allows her to inhale a deep and happy breath and set out on another day.

 Summer is here and has a Spring in her step! What was that we just said?

Spring wears many different definitions and is suited to an experimental wardrobe and changing trends. As a noun, Spring wears “the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to appear” and also “an elastic device, typically a helical metal coil, that can be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when released”. As a verb, she dresses to the tune of “moving or jumping suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards” and also the act of “originating or arising from”. She is a season of growth, bloom and moving forwards but is also as much about origins. She is about new beginnings but also of beginnings. Which had us wonder, "does change have to mean growing ‘up’?” Perhaps change is best understood when we go back to the quiet of our childhood selves, nonchalantly dangling our feet and sipping on a cold drink.

Our Spring edition this year is a place for honouring our childhood selves and harnessing childhood swag. It is a simple testament to that quiet and abundantly happy spot called childhood. So, would you join us as we hop on a time machine to the 80s and 90s in India, a time of palpable social and economic change? Through the eyes of our little selves we toy with foreign imported cartoon serials, children’s novels and DVDs brought home by uncles and aunts, government owned soft drinks that has us waiting for Sundays, western fables that held us up at night, dreaming of other places as if they were familiar, and the thrill of sharing birthday toffees.

We do all this with our favoured fabric and a much loved Indian staple- cotton dressed in many hats and guises. Our signature flowing drapes, pin tucked garments and cowl dresses in tie and dye and shibori simultaneously signify the rapidly changing nature of those times and yet reminisce memories of the past. Surface textures, pastel hues and graphic prints conjure up a sense of the new in the opening up of the economy with new products proliferating the market in pastel-hued packaging, television endorsements and cable TV bringing fables from faraway lands and the prospects of schooling.

                                    

 Remember when mother’s tie and dye dupatta was all you needed to hold onto while navigating city streets? Mother's Shibori Dress brings back the comfort of feeling at home in chaos. Let’s admit to slipping into Papa's kurta as our first experience of traditional attire and what great fun it was!  If you need a little motivation on an early Monday morning, reach out for an Exercise Book or Essay, for a renewed sense of purpose (remember when growing up meant being allowed your first Ink pen?)

 

                                

Relive the thrill of Tom and Jerry, Tintin and Snowy and The Jungle Book and reconnect with the everyday pleasures and jaunty hopefulness embodied in Cream Biscuits, Mango Byte and a sip of Goldspot.

 

                                 

 

Mondays pose a familiar challenge: the art of getting out of bed. The staggered progression of a Monday morning in our lives includes feet dragging to the bathroom with a rag doll in tow and a promise to self to relish a five-second snooze while brushing our teeth. Finally feeling illuminated, our descend to reality includes bolting across the floor at a speed Usain Bolt could envy. Deciding what to wear to work on such days is a Chekhovian task and a classic white shirt or a beloved favourite usually come to the rescue. While casual dressing leaves room for interpretation and personal perspective, flexibility in workwear standards is a continuously evolving and tenacious process.

The rise of workwear clothing became prominent with the Industrial Revolution in the western hemisphere (1760-1840) and the emergence of a formal labour force. Sartorial choices that suited both farming and artisan work were replaced by the need for clothing more suited to heavy labour and presence around machines for men. Levi’s, for instance, became popular amongst gold miners for the durability of their patented metal rivet pockets. Over time the manufacturing economy saw a shift to service and tertiary industry including knowledge and IT hubs which influenced developments in clothing choices in new ways. In specific, the button up shirt, suit and khaki style trousers replaced denim and dungarees.

Workwear didn’t just evolve with changing nature of jobs but also with its resulting cultures. Kayleigh Ziolo, a writer at The Attic London, describes this evolution. The 1920s-40s witnessed conservative suit styles in neutral tones as preferred choice in an era familiar with war and scarcity. This was followed by economic expansion and the build up towards rebellion in the 1940s-1960s with design labels emerging and asserting importance. The 1960s-80s representing this materialism saw a relapse in conformity with the expansion of media, communication and globalisation. Contemporary choices for workwear made by those born in the 1980s-2000s tend to be more rebellious and expressive, defying the norm as conformity takes second seat to personal development. 

This general evolution belies the nuances of female workwear trends that changed and adopted cultural narratives on women’s choice. Professor Frances Corner examines the impact that choice had on evolving workwear in women’s fashion. The 1960s-80s with the second wave women’s movement saw rising hemlines at the workplace while the 1980s-2000s saw the emergence of the power suit and shoulder pads as women adopted ‘masculine’ features to merge into male bastions. An important point she addresses is that choice can be both oppressive and liberating. The sheer choice of self-determination can be overwhelming when the onus is on the individual to decide what is appropriate as Emma McClendon, assistant curator at the Museum FIT describes, “When we talk about work-wear, we’re really talking about looking appropriate at a given cultural moment," adding that "..appropriateness is hard to pin down; it’s constantly changing in response to what’s going on in the world."

Choices are liberating for they follow from self-determination and self-awareness. In the Indian context, a history of western workwear clothing does little for a public awareness of indigenous work clothing and only illuminates the effects of globalisation on Indian choice. With this in mind, we decided to compile a preliminary photo narrative of Indian work wear through the ages. While essentially featuring draped garments, the diversity in terms of hemlines, silhouettes and styling is refreshing. The cotton drape was a chosen favourite for work across decades for its suitability to Indian climate. The purpose of this narrative is only to bring an Indian history of work clothing, particularly the diversity of drape, to awareness and choice. We also explore how this Indian aesthetic reflects on the Khara Kapas style.

(On top) Punjab, 1840s-1870s. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. Seen in this illustration is the angarkha style top worn over a salwar style trouser with a cloak. While it is uncertain if the figure in question is ‘at work’ she certainly appears outdoors. The angarkha continues to be worn with a skirt in western India. (On bottom) The Sharpener Shavings angarkha style top with the Tiffin Box pants / Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017.

 

(On top) A fan and basket seller in Patna in the early 1800s featuring a midi hemline drape. Image source: columbia.edu (In middle) This higher hemline recurs in the 1920s with foreign travel on missionary pursuits and worn especially with Mary Johns. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (At bottom) The Grown Ups gather and flare midi dress/ Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017.

  

(On top) An illustrated piece published in “Costumes of Western India”, London News, 1876. Image source: columbia.edu. Illustrated here are differing drape styles featuring an assortment of silhouettes including an asymmetrical style (see bottom right) seen in western India. Also mentioned is the associated profession of the wearer.(On bottom) The Mango Byte asymmetrical dress/ Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017. Also see, Jungle Book and Midnight Snack.

 

(On top) The early 1900s, shorter hemlines at work, featuring classic milkwoman style. Image source: columbia.edu. (On bottom) The Graph Dress / Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017.  Also see, Chalkboard. 

(On top) Women at a Home Science Class, 1957 featuring a nine-yard drape with gathers on the side. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (On bottom) The Essay asymmetrical dress with gathers on side / Khara Kapas Spring- Summer 2017. Also see, Cotton Candy and Stole Mama's Lipstick.

(On top) The Khada dupatta style featuring a two-sided drape and trousers beneath. It is uncertain if this style was worn to work. Image source: Vintage Indian Clothing. (On bottom) The Cream Biscuit Jhabla featuring two-sided pintucks/ Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017. Also see, Wishing on a Cloud. 

And finally, for a splash of androgyny, kurta style worn by an ayah circa 1920, image source: columbia.edu

 

(On bottom) Papa's Kurta Dress and Papa's Culottes / Khara Kapas Spring-Summer 2017.

For a more in-depth look into the history of Indian clothing, we recommend Vintage Indian Clothing. 

 

References:

1. Dave’s New York, pub. April 2013, last accessed March, 2017 http://davesnewyork.com/blog/american-manufacturing-the-workwear-to-go-with-it/
2. Ziolo Kayleigh,“A Potted History of Workwear”, Chartered Management Institute, pub. Sept, 2011, last accessed March, 2017, http://www.managers.org.uk/insights/news/2011/september/a-potted-history-of-workwear
3. Corner Frances, “The History of Women’s Workwear”, Harpers Bazaar UK, pub. Aug, 2015, last accessed March, 2017, http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/people-parties/bazaar-at-work/news/a35201/the-history-of-womens-workwear/
4. Ives Alison, “What the history of workwear says about women”, MSN Lifestyle, pub. Sept, 2016, last accessed March, 2017, https://www.msn.com/en-za/lifestyle/lifestylefashionbeauty/what-the-history-of-workwear-says-about-women/ar-AAjJjVc
5. Vintage Indian Clothing, https://vintageindianclothing.com
6. South Asia Study resources, Columbia University, http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00fwp/#fwp

 

The firsts of any business are always fondly remembered. When we look back to our infant days and baby steps, we want to thank each and every customer sitting in India and abroad who put their trust in us and supported us as we strived to get their choice of garments to them.

One of our fondest memories involves our very first online customer, Madhushree Ghosh.

 

Madhushree has become a milestone in our success journey and we are so glad to be associated with her all through these years. Not only is she special because she has her wardrobe full of Kharakapas, but more so because she is this extremely spirited person who knows how to enjoy life and make the most of it! Her story is so inspiring that we couldn’t resist having our set of questions ready the moment we got to know she’s coming to India.

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1. Tell us a little bit about yourselves.

MG: Professionally, I work in cancer diagnostics, with one of the top global pharma groups. I am also a contributing editor at Panorama: The Journal for Intelligent Travel, and have written for international magazines and literary journals such at Chicago Quarterly, Zoetrope, Glimmer Train, Hippocampus, Origins Literary and others. My one-act plays have been performed at San Diego Actors Alliance Festivals and my recent essay "Losing My Way Home" at Panorama was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in non-fiction. Currently, I am working on my memoir, "214 Days Of Silence", and a collection of essays, "Chitaranjan Park Tales", based on my current life in cancer diagnostics in San Diego, and my childhood in 1970s and 80s in New Delhi.

2. How did you come to choose your profession? What/who influenced your decision? What's the most interesting project you've worked on?

MG: I left India when the choices were few and far between. I loved chemistry, particularly, environmental chemistry and how pollutants affected the human body--so I moved into graduate studies in New York and then Baltimore, at Johns Hopkins University. I come from a family of writers, and our discussions at the dining table were politics and literature, so both sides of my brain worked equally. When I missed home, particularly, New Delhi, I wrote about that city, my love. Soon, my work was published in established American literary magazines, and it was a combination of homesickness and a need to share my city with others who would have never thought of a world like that. India is a country of contradictions--filled with color, joy, pollution, life, smog and love--that's what I like to share with my readers.

One of my projects as a contributing writer at Panorama was to describe Street View, an essay on how my neighborhood (in San Diego) is--which turned into a memoir of my life till then and why I moved there--it was just nominated for a Pushcart, which is exciting for a literary person, especially one who considers herself a scientist first.

In my profession as a cancer diagnostics executive, I headed a group that enabled the testing of HPV in poor and under-developed countries at a significantly reduced cost that was affordable for women where cervical cancer diagnostics was almost unheard of. To be part of the change has been a monumental experience for me.

3. Take us through a work day and off day in your life.

MG: I work on my writing early morning 5-7 AM, start work on my cancer diagnostics strategy after that, which is a 24 hour job anyway. If I am on the road, which is 3 weeks out of 4, I love writing while flying and people watching at airports, which again gives me a flavor of what makes us happy, and the unusual concerns of daily life of normal people.

4. How do you define freedom and confidence?

MG: Freedom and confidence comes with inner peace. If you're happy with yourself, nothing can shake the confidence that emanates from within. Freedom is a special right, we all have, but we all assume we have to gain it from someone else. Both confidence and freedom are traits one has to hold on to, and work towards every day.

5. Tell us your happiest memory.

MG: Again, another great question. One of my happiest memories was at IIT Delhi, we received our MSc graduation degrees. The president of the institute gave us the degrees according to rank. I was standing first, followed by my two dear friends, also girls. In a class filled with boys, we girls ruled. I walked ahead and the president folded his hands in a namaste, and I knew he shook the boys' hands in the class before me. So I pulled his namaste palms into a handshake and I remember his shocked face before his lips curled into a smile. One doesn't have to thrust feminism in people's faces; our actions speak louder than words. In the audience, my sister yelled, bravo! And we knew we had broken a glass ceiling that day. That was almost two decades ago.

6. What/who is your biggest strength?

MG: My biggest strength is my sense of humor. One needs to understand that life is filled with potholes but you need to know how to negotiate it. If you have a sense of humor, everything is easy. Respect one another, treat each other with love, everything else will fall in place.

7. Tell us an interesting travel story or about your favourite city?

MG: My favorite cities are Delhi and San Diego--I can't decide between either. I just visited Delhi after 7 years, and when friends from San Diego ask me how it is, it's a mix of pollution, smog, life, love and color--how can you not love it? A dear friend and I tried to walk to Lal Quila last Sunday in the middle of the book sales on the streets and the bazaar on the footpaths--after a while we gave up, and walked to the roadside bread pakora wala and had the best savory snack ever--I can't even describe how scrumptious the pakora was or how delightful the chutney felt to my taste buds after seven years. Heaven!

San Diego for me is a peaceful, quiet place. Home. Every time my flight swoops down towards Balboa Park, past the missions, over Old Town where the city started, I heave a sigh of relief--this is what home feels like to me. Peace. And joy.

8. What is your relationship with fashion? How would you define your style mantra?

MG: Fashion to me should be comfortable, ready-to-wear, classy and yet, Indian. Contemporary Indian. My style mantra is actually Kharakapas--it evolves with each season, almost as if Shilpi knew what I was craving for, each season engages a new sense of comfort, a new sense of freedom, and the fabric represents everything I know India to be.

9. What do you think about Indian textiles.

MG: I have always had a keen interest in Indian textiles, first because it's dying, and second, it's an art form. I have supported many organizations that help in sustaining eco-friendly textile making and designs, and living in San Diego, I know there's a huge demand for such fabric, for their versatility, clean feel and durability.

When we first thought of writing about our customers, we prepared a questionnaire that we’d ask in-person or via mail and do a small photo shoot with them to get a closer look into their life and understand them deeply.

However, we realised that we were already a part of their life as much as they were a part of ours, of the brand. We’d interacted closely with them at different points in time, knew their tastes, their urgencies, and tried to deliver a happy shopping experience to them to the best of our capabilities.

Wanting to wrap the year on a good note and celebrating 2 years of the brand, we knew we wanted to fabricate our success with the dreams and ambitions of our customers, our muses, with a series of blog posts celebrating different facets of women and finding inspiration in each of them.

What was difficult was to choose the first person we wanted to cover. We have such a rich clientele of inspiring women, who have these interesting stories to tell. We knew we couldn’t stop at one; it had to be a recurring series. 

The first woman who we interviewed was Atamjot Grewal, an ENT surgeon by qualification, currently taking care of patient experience at Fortis hospital.  

A small town girl, belonging to various places within India owing to her armed forces background, Atam moved to Delhi for her graduation in medicine, which she hardly ever practiced.

Complicated yet simple, bubbling with emotions, positive vibe and cheer, you instantly like her!   
She’s the quintessential woman, somebody who wears her emotions on her sleeves, compassion in her eyes, warmth in her heart, and strength on her back.
 
Her mother seemed to have deeply impacted her life and choices. A single parent, Atam’s mom singlehandedly built everything for herself and Atam, she remains to be Atam’s strength and inspiration. While Atam’s father is her conscience. She confessed to have had deep conversations with her dad’s portrait during trying times. She has shared her grief, aspirations, and happiness, everything with her dad’s portrait. Her actions always aim to make her father, up there, happy and proud.

A single child and having spent a lot of time alone, Atam loves a full house now. Her family comprises of her husband, mother, mother-in-law, kids and dogs. Her family remains to be her strength and driving force.

Professionally, Atam is known for being passionate about her work. Since she is involved with the administrative side of healthcare, specifically focusing on patient experience, Atam is known for her emphatic treatment of patients and their families and ensuring proper care. She’s known to be someone who’s reliable and dependable, and that according to her is her biggest achievement.

It’s through many twists and turns in her career that Atam found her calling. While medicine was her natural choice of subject, due to unavailability of other options at that time, she doesn’t consider herself ambitious.

After completing her medicinal studies, she went on to write articles for a web portal, got into a mainstream corporate job, tackled many roles including marketing, sales, operations etc., hit mid-life crisis when she almost wanted to quit her job and then finally landed into hospitals and found her true calling.

As a part of Fortis, Atam has been personally involved with on-ground relief work during natural disasters and calamities and that has contributed to her self-transformation and has made her a grounded person, someone who is thankful for everything she has and knows how to savour each moment of her precious life.

We asked her a few questions and got some really interesting answers.

What are your views on religion/faith?
AG: I won't call myself religious but rather spiritual. And for me spirituality doesn't just mean connecting with god, but in fact connecting with people. In moments of engaging interactions and deep bonds, spirituality is at work. 

Describe a weekday and weekend in your life.
AG: My weekdays usually start early at around 5.30 with some physical activity, which could be cycling, cross-fit, or walking, followed by some quality time over breakfast with my children.
My day in the hospital starts with morning meetings to plan the day and never really ends.
But it is very important for me to spend some quality time with each of the key members of the family and to also have some ‘me’ time before I sleep, that makes my day complete.
A weekend/holiday is all about running chores, lounging together, spending quality time with Sanjit (husband), and unwinding with friends, family and a lot of alcohol.

Define ‘freedom’ and ‘confidence’.
AG: The definition of freedom is ever changing and evolving.
It has ranged from going out to play, to staying up till late, to being able to choose – choose what I want to do, and to be able to say no to things.
As far as confidence goes, I don’t think I’m quite confident. I’m carefree, I like to live in the moment, and that sort of gives me an air of confidence. Although, if there’s one thing that contributes to confidence - that is experience.

What’s your happiest memory?
AG: I think I’m lucky that at least 4 come to my mind the moment I hear this question.
My happiest memory from childhood is sleeping on my grandfather’s shoulder while listening to my nighttime story. That memory replays in my head and is always as magical as it was back then. It gives me a feeling of homecoming.
Another beautiful memory is the birth of my daughter, the first time I held her, knowing that she is an extension of me.
I also fondly remember many of my trips with Sanjit. For me, Sanjit is synonymous with the hills. He is my escape and my refuge. All the expeditions, trips, treks into the mountains with Sanjit have been nothing less of magic for me. I can be myself and inhale a deep and happy sigh of breath with him by my side.
The coming of my dogs is also a memory I fondly look back to.
Lastly, each Monday morning goes into my happy memory lane. Sanjit gets me white lilies since as long as I can remember that I carry along with me to work.

What’s your favourite place to live?
AG: My favourite place has to be a quaint town or village, it has to be up in the hills, and has to be beautifully peaceful.
The only place I can think of right now is Thanedar in Himachal. You can stare into nothingness and there are apple orchards as far as your sight goes.

Tell us your idea of a perfect date.
AG: My idea of perfect date has nothing to do with the setting but the company and the conversation.
Although Sanjit and I are big foodies and we love the Smoke House Grill and that has been the setting of our date many a times.

What’s your relationship with fashion?
AG: Frankly, I’ve been called a tomboy and I don’t really consider myself as ‘fashionable’ in the literal sense as to keep track of what’s trending.
For me, comfort predetermines fashion. I prefer earthy tones, flowy fabrics, and indo-western silhouettes. 

What struck you about Kharakapas? What got you back to the brand? What’s your most prized possession from Kharakapas?
AG: I get my Kharakapas update through the Facebook page and I’ve never seen a garment and not felt the need to buy it.  
I feel so connected with the ethos of the brand as well as its sensibilities. So many people tell me that the brand has been shaped keeping me in mind and that’s a huge compliment for me. I love the simple and minimalistic designs. Kharakapas is the right balance of style and comfort for me.
My favorite outfit is the ivory cotton gown. It can be dressed up with accessories or worn casually on a holiday. I also love 2 of the kurta and pant sets that Shilpi has lovingly customized for me.

Towards the end of the interview, Sanjit came in to invite us for lunch and grabbed his wife so that we'd finish off the interview and join them for lunch. The right mix of playfulness, banter, and love, Sanjit & Atamjot's lives are picture perfect.

We thank Atam for being so candid with us and giving a peep into her super-woman life story!

A Kharakapas salute to the woman who is caring yet carefree!

 

On Atam:

Ivory & Gold Sharara Set, Rs. 12,000/-

Indigo Swing Dress, Rs. 4800/-

Ivory Cotton Gown, Rs. 5000/-

Aphrodite is revered as the Greek goddess of beauty, love and pleasure, and thus we couldn’t resist having a collection in her name.

Our choicest of silhouettes in serene cuts and calming hues, these pieces just need an addition of a flower crown or wreath to transport you back into an era of Greek minimalistic fashion.

  

1. If dreams were clothes, this one would be our idea of utopia. A pristine white pure malmal dress, it is ideal for a day out. It is irresistible, simply charming, comfortably flattering, and embraces you like your second skin.

                          

2. If Aphrodite were an Indian goddess, this dress would be her sartorial manifestation. With golden gota trimmings, this mulmul dress is a delight to the wearer and the onlooker.

Experiment with a matha-patti and vibrant kolhapuris for a festive look.

4. Even goddesses have the right to feel blue, and this is how we imagine Aphrodite if she ever had any mood swings. Playful and flirty, relaxed and lovely, this maxi dress can cheer up your otherwise dull day.      

 

Explore the goddess in you! Shop here!