Designer Mankiran Dhillon from Delhi started her label in February 2018 with the intention of revisiting the exquisite Punjabi embroidery technique of phulkari. The 27-year-old, will be in Hyderabad this weekend to showcase her bestsellers at the ongoing Prêt Expo being held at N Convention. She says, “I grew up in a Punjabi household, so phulkari was always a part of my life, but I wanted to make it more functional and contemporary.”
When folklore beckons
Phulkari, which means floral work, has for a long time been restricted to shawls, dupattas and headscarves. But Mankiran wanted to make phulkari more accessible to the younger dressers. Hence, she created shirt dresses with catchy Punjabi phrases like “Jind Meriye (My beloved)” stitched on it, with intricate heart and flower motifs. She also draws inspiration from Punjabi folklore and the old-world charm, which is in the typography she uses.
Go ethnic
For her visit to Hyderabad, she has curated a collection keeping in mind the heat and humidity in the city. Hence, she plans to bring more homespun khadi and organic cotton outfits. The shoppers can expect shirt dresses, crop tops and kurtas from her collection, A(which means connections of the heart). Also, this time, keeping Rakhi festivities in mind, she will showcase Indo-Western numbers such as kurtas and a range of phulkari dupattas. To give her outfits a more vibrant edge, she has incorporated miniscule checks. The colour palette from the new Autumn/Winter Collection 2018, called Chidi, include pastel greens, blush pink and blues with trousers and kurtas. She’s getting a limited array of menswear such as bandhgalas and jackets too.
Rs 4,000 onwards.
On August 10-11.